the pod(CA)st journal

Tracy Kraus

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Exploring the human stories behind the CA(SA) designation

3d ago

JE#6: Goolam Modack - Moving Towards the Pain

“In my first semester, I struggled my way through accounting.” This is an unexpected admission from someone who would go on to become Head of the College of Accounting at the University of Cape Town and help shape accounting education across the country. Goolam Modack did not begin university intending to become a chartered accountant. He enrolled for actuarial science, discovered an unexpected love for financial reporting and gradually found his way into the CA(SA) path. His move into academia was similarly unplanned: an academic traineeship opportunity arose late in his PGDA year, and a career he had not planned began to take shape. More than two decades later, Goolam reflects on a life spent teaching, leading and influencing the development of future chartered accountants. In this episode, we discuss: struggling with accounting before it eventually clicked;moving towards difficult things rather than avoiding them;discovering a calling to teach;the mentors and relationships that helped shape his career;becoming UCT’s first CA(SA) of colour on staff;the varied reality of an academic career;his involvement in shaping accounting curricula and professional assessments;leading within higher education during Rhodes Must Fall and Fees Must Fall;the restorative role of sabbatical; andthe faith journey through which he came to recognise God’s grace across his story.For Goolam, “moving towards the pain” means resisting the instinct to avoid what is difficult and being willing to grapple thoughtfully with the places where learning, growth or healing may be needed. If this conversation encouraged or challenged you, please share it with someone who may appreciate it. Subscribe to the pod(CA)st journal for more honest conversations about what it takes to become a CA(SA) and what it can mean to be one. For feedback, guest suggestions or to share your own story, email hello@podcastjournal.co.za. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: IY55CZYONTNJSZP6, 7TVKQXIK4C4I7J28
Oct 19

JE#5: Kayla Mallinson - The Courage to Begin Again

At 18, Kayla Mallinson made the difficult decision to leave school before completing matric. She was struggling with her mental health, uncertain about what the future would hold and painfully aware of the expectations she felt she had not met. The following year, she returned to the same small school to do matric again—without the friends who had previously shared the journey with her. It was the first of several courageous new beginnings. Kayla went on to complete an accounting degree, only to discover midway through her studies that it did not provide a direct route into the CA(SA) pathway. Determined to find another way, she moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg with R15,000 in savings, relocated again to Pretoria to begin her articles and enrolled in an online bridging programme that allowed her to work and study simultaneously. In this episode, Kayla speaks candidly about: leaving matric to care for her mental health—and finding the courage to return;discovering that her undergraduate degree was not SAICA-accredited;moving across the country and becoming financially independent at 22;completing her bridging programme and PGDA while working full-time;her routine of waking at 3:30 a.m. to study before work;feeling left behind as others appeared to progress more quickly;managing anxiety around high-stakes examinations; andlearning that her identity and worth were never dependent on earning a professional designation.Now a CA(SA), lecturer and master’s student, Kayla reflects on what the journey gave her beyond the qualification: discipline, adaptability, resilience and the confidence that she can do hard things. Her story is a powerful reminder that stepping away does not have to mean giving up—and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is begin again. Please note: Accreditation requirements and pathways may change. Prospective students should consult SAICA’s current lists of accredited undergraduate and postgraduate programmes before making study decisions. If this conversation encouraged you, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. Subscribe to the pod(CA)st journal for more honest conversations about what it takes to become a CA(SA)—and what it can mean to be one. For feedback, guest suggestions or to share your own story, email hello@podcastjournal.co.za. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: DEKWJ4NSWLJ0YGBH, MY5OFPOYNC4Y6RFF
Oct 5

JE#4: Khaya Sithole - A CA Voice in National Conversations

What happens when a career you never planned becomes the platform from which you help shape national conversations? Khaya Sithole describes accounting as “the greatest accident of my life.” Growing up in rural KwaZulu-Natal with very limited financial and family support, his path through school and university depended on determination, resourcefulness and a series of people who stepped forward at critical moments. Khaya originally dreamed of studying English literature at Oxford and becoming a teacher. Instead, the availability of funding led him towards accounting and ultimately to qualifying as a CA(SA). Yet his career would extend far beyond the traditional boundaries of the profession. In this episode, Khaya shares how his interests in education, writing and social justice drew him into academia, student activism, public policy and the media. He reflects on helping struggling accounting students realise their potential, becoming deeply involved in the Fees Must Fall movement, and using accounting skills to develop an evidence-based model that contributed to the current R350,000 NASFAS household-income threshold. Khaya’s story demonstrates what can happen when professional skills meet curiosity, courage and a commitment to public purpose. It is also a powerful reminder that a career does not need to follow a conventional path to make a meaningful contribution. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: HOGWJQPD0FADQYMG, L5CRJUMNPKXW1CQG
Sep 21

JE#1: Ruando van Rooi - From Kathu to Canada

My inaugural guest is Ruando van Rooi, who I know from his time as a student and academic trainee at Milpark Education. Ruando grew up in a small town in the Northern Cape, Kathu, and shares about his journey from there, to now working with PWC in Winnipeg, Canada. Along the way he encountered financial obstacles, health challenges and academic setback, but has overcome them all and completed the journey to CA(SA). Enjoy this first journal entry!
Sep 21

JE#2: Mark Tipping - From Giving Up to Qualifying

In this journal entry, I sit down with Mark Tipping. He shares about his 17 year journey to become a CA(SA), starting straight out of school, but then giving up after being unsuccessful twice in CTA, which resulted in him believing that he would only ever fail. After volunteering for several years as a paramedic, an unexpected Facebook post lead to him return to CA studies on the Milpark Education half workload and eventually realise his dream. He shares about how he now enjoys taking on hard things and conquering them!
Sep 21

JE#3: Ali Andersen - Good at Finance; Called to Something Else

What happens when you are good at your work—but slowly realise it may not be the right work for you? Ali Andersen never had a master plan to become a CA(SA). She followed a path that made sense, qualified through EY and built an international career spanning Cape Town, New York and London. Yet despite being capable in finance, she began to recognise that it was not where she felt most fulfilled. A perceptive manager and a set of psychometric assessments eventually gave language to what Ali had been feeling: she was a square peg in a round hole. In this episode, Ali shares how she moved from corporate finance into entrepreneurship, learning and development, leadership development at Allan Gray, and ultimately her current role as Director of the Executive MBA programme at IMD in Switzerland. We discuss: The difference between being good at something and being energised by itWhy Ali has no regrets about becoming a CA(SA), despite leaving traditional financeTaking the leap from corporate employment into her own businessHow the CA(SA) qualification became a foundation for a very different careerReturning to corporate life as a working motherStarting over professionally in a new countryWhy you do not need to have your entire career figured outThe value of curiosity, coaching and learning from every experience Ali’s story is a thoughtful reminder that a career does not have to follow a predetermined path—and that finding the right fit may begin with getting to know yourself better.
Sep 7

the pod(CA)st journal - Trailer

What does it take to become a Chartered Accountant? And once you get there, what does it mean to actually be one? These two questions are at the heart of the pod(CA)st journal, an upcoming independent podcast, in which we explore the human stories behind the CA(SA) designation, hosted by Tracy Kraus. The first episodes will be released on 21 September, so subscribe now!

7 Episodes

Exploring the human stories behind the CA(SA) designation

Creator

Tracy Kraus
Years Active

2026
Episodes

7
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 Tracy Kraus
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the pod(CA)st journal