CFO of Pension Funds Adjudicator │ Co-founder of SWM Foundation
Bulelani Makunga is a servant leader that is passionate about making a meaningful difference. He has co-founded a not-for-profit organisation called SWM Foundation that supports high school pupils from his former school with financial assistance and mentorship. SWM is focused on Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality education and prioritises a ‘girl child’. Its long-term goal is to contribute to increased inclusivity, numeracy and literacy, increased school completion rate and drive learning opportunities for career success for previously excluded groups of people. He asserted, “I believe in empowering others and removing barriers for them to realise their potential – like it was done for me to get to where I am today”
Bulelani is a Chief Financial Officer at the Office of the Pension Funds Adjudicator, a public entity under the Finance Ministry. He has achieved four consecutive clean audits since joining them in 2018 and led key projects including the inaugural OPFA Integrated (Annual) Report for financial year 2021/22. He believes the public sector has provided him with an opportunity to serve and deliver public value to citizens. He was awarded CFO of the year by the Association for Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa (ABASA) in 2021.
On a part-time basis, Bulelani is a Board Member/Trustee of the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) Pension Fund. Where his responsibility is to manage the affairs of the retirement fund in terms of the fund rules and the Pension Funds Act. In April 2021, he was unanimously elected Chairperson of the Transformation Subcommittee with the primary task of advising the Board on a transformation strategy for FSCA Pension Fund. This is in alignment with his commitment to service and drive to make an impact in the lives of others.
Bulelani qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2013 and has more than 10 years’ experience in the public sector. He has a BCom Honours (CTA) from University of KwaZulu Natal, a certificate in Pension Fund Law from the University of South Africa (UNISA), A certificate in Public Finance Management from the International Monetary Fund, an Advanced Certificate in Risk Management from UNISA and currently enrolled for Master of Business Administration 2022 with the Gordon Institute of Business Science. He believes in the adage that ‘education is the key for success’ in community development and dreams of having supported 100 pupils through the SWM Initiative by 2030.
