Chairperson of Transformation Committee at Netcare Limited & Co-Chairperson at Young Leaders Connect – IDEAL
Lerato Phelane is a 33-year-old chartered accountant with over a decade of experience in both internal and external audit. She specialises in providing exceptional service to clients in the healthcare sector, public sector, mining, and metals, as well as the energy and resources sector. Having earned the CA(SA) designation, she brings an unparalleled level of expertise to every project she undertakes.
But for her, being a chartered accountant is about more than just the numbers − it’s about using her skills to help those who need it most. As a passionate advocate for gender equality and human rights, she believes in being a voice for the voiceless and a servant to her community.
Through her work and advocacy, she strives to empower women and help them claim their rightful place in society, because when women have assets, they can own their power and control the trajectory of their future. She believes that CAs are thought leaders, and she would like to impart her knowledge through sharing some of her lived experiences. The way she sees it, mentorship is a catalyst that we can use to empower the next generation of leaders.
When she is not busy changing the world, she is always learning – she considers herself to be a forever student of life. And when it’s time to unwind, she can usually be found with a good book, watching a documentary or a gripping series, or sharing a drink and a laugh with friends and loved ones. Above all, though, her proudest job is being a mother − a role that, according to her, has taught her more than any professional pursuit ever could about the values of humility, patience, empathy, compassion and kindness.
She currently works at Netcare as an internal audit specialist and serves on the board audit committee of the Netcare Medical Aid Scheme and the International Women’s Forum – South Africa (IWFSA) risk and audit committee. She is also co-chairperson of Young Leaders Connect (YLC), a programme of the IWFSA whose mandate is to create a pipeline for the next generation of women leaders. She is also leading transformation at Netcare as the chairperson of their transformation committee.
In Lerato’s own words: ‘I am a chartered accountant − but my work lies in making a social impact in the lives of people. I am passionate about people: I am determined to leave the lives of people who have an encounter with me better that before they met me. I am #LifeChangingLerato.’
