By Fiona Wakelin & Naledi Mokoena
During her tenure at The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA), Ncedisa Mpande has ensured that the organisation formed strong partnerships with various provincial offices across the country, one of which has resulted in the training of 6 000 young people as solar technicians. It is also through her leadership that the merSETA forged partnerships with various higher education institutions in the country, resulting in the clearing of historical debt for 30 000 students, allowing them to graduate and gain access to the job market. She also ensured that the merSETA partnered with NSFAS, resulting in the funding of 300 students from the “missing middle” to study at various public universities across South Africa. These partnerships speak volumes to her commitment to skills development, thereby ensuring the empowerment of young people in the country. It is also through these partnerships that she ensured that the merSETA proactively lives up to its vision of being “Leaders in closing the skills gap”. Public Sector Leaders sat down with Ncedisa to find out more about her journey as a financial executive powerhouse.
With impactful leadership skills and a proven portfolio of work, Ncedisa Mpande is a graduate of the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and is a Chartered Accountant. She first joined the merSETA as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), a post she has held for the past seven years. She recently added another significant leadership role to her portfolio, having acted in the position of Chief Executive Officer for 18 months.
Her career as a finance executive stretches over 15 years and she has applied her strong leadership skills across numerous fields including human resources, supply chain management, ICT and governance.