Head of Audit National

Bongi Ngoma is the Head of Audit and a qualified Chartered Accountant. With over 23 years of experience in the public sector, she has served in several roles, including Chief Financial Officer and Head of Internal Audit.

In 2021, Bongi became the first public sector leader to be named CFO of the Year by CFO South Africa. That same year, she was also recognised by the African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA) and the Association of Black Accountants of South Africa (ABASA) for her remarkable leadership in the public sector.

As Head of Audit, Bongi leads the audit function with a clear focus on ensuring that South Africa’s public resources are managed with integrity and in the best interest of all citizens.

Chief Financial Officer

Polani was appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the AGSA in March 2022. A qualified Chartered Accountant [CA(SA)], Polani has built his career at the AGSA since joining as a trainee accountant in 2007, progressing through roles such as Technical Audit Manager, Senior Manager, and Business Executive before assuming his current position.

With over 18 years of experience, Polani has led audits across key sectors including National Treasury, Transport, Tourism, and major state-owned entities such as SANRAL, PRASA, and Land Bank. His expertise spans financial management, IFRS and GRAP standards, fiscal policy, and strategic leadership in the public sector.

Polani is passionate aligning the AGSA’s financial strategies with its constitutional mandate.

His qualifications include: Chartered Accountant [CA(SA)] and Bachelor of Commerce & Honours in Accounting (Walter Sisulu University).

Chief Technology Officer

Phila Ndarana is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) , appointed in June 2022. He leads AGSA’s digital transformation strategy, ensuring technology initiatives align with business objectives and governance structures.

With over 25 years of experience in IT leadership, Phila has held senior roles across the public and private sectors, including Chief Digital Officer at Ubank, CIO at Absa Insurance, and CIO at Sanlam Private Wealth. His expertise spans digital strategy, IT governance, cybersecurity, and innovation management.

Phila is passionate about leveraging technology to enhance accountability and efficiency in the public sector.

Qualifications:

• B. Comm in Information Systems and Economics – University of KwaZulu Natal
• Postgraduate in Digital Transformation Strategy – University of Cape Town
• Senior Management Development Programme – Graduate School of Business Science (GSB)
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification – Nubiz (Qualtec accredited)

Chief Risk Officer

Solly, a qualified CA and project management professional, has 28 years of working experience, 24 of which he spent in executive management and various governance and directorship roles.

He is the Chief Risk Officer and is responsible for organisational risk management, ethics, legal, and quality management. He has been an exco member of the organisation for the last 11 years. An ex Deloitte employee, he has worked and has experience in auditing, mining, mergers and acquisitions, SOEs, strategy, project management and change management. Prior to joining the AGSA, he served on several boards and chaired a number of audit committees.  

Head of Specialised Audit Services

Thato is a results-oriented leader with a strong track record in internal and external audit, IT audit, IT governance, and risk management within sectors like ICT, transport and logistics, financial services, mining, and energy. Since January 2024, he has been the Head of Specialised Audit Services at the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), where he leads Information Systems Audit, Performance Audit, Innovation and Integration, and Investigations, and contributes as a member of the Executive Committee and Chairperson of the Project Portfolio Investment, and IT Steering Committees. His prior 10-year tenure as Head of Advisory Services at a leading consultancy saw him drive critical business turnaround, restructuring, and team integration efforts. Thato's qualifications include an Honours in Bachelor of Science (Information Systems) and an MBA, equipping him with a comprehensive perspective for effective business leadership.

Chief People Officer (Acting)

Vatiswa Nthoesane is a seasoned Human Capital professional with over 14 years of experience at the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA). She currently serves as an Acting Chief People Officer, driving strategic human capital initiatives that support AGSA’s mandate and organizational goals.

Her expertise spans from human capital consulting, change management, industrial relations, and talent development, with a proven track record of delivering impactful solutions that enhance workforce effectiveness. Vatiswa is passionate about building collaborative relationships, fostering employee engagement, and aligning people strategies with business objectives.

Before joining AGSA, Vatiswa held leadership roles in human resources and operations across various sectors, including financial services and aviation. She is recognized for her ability to approach organizational challenges with strategic insight and practical solutions. Her qualifications amongst others include a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and  master’s degree in business leadership.