Dear Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities,

I am Balebetje Zondi and I am shocked and appauled at what I saw in the interviews earlier this week. I mostly shocked because I have the following qualifications and experience:

1. BCom Accounting degree from UCT
Honours Degree in Accounting from UNISA
2. Charted Accountant with SAICA
3. Currently completing a MPhil in Taxation at the University of Pretoria

I have worker at Deloitte SA, UK and Ireland in various positions. I have founded and run my own company from my own pocket (and that of parents and friends when months were dire) from the age of 26 to date. I dedicated 10 full years of my career to starting and sustaining this business. I was as a result awarded with Top 35 under 35 Chartered Accountants in the country for 2021 mainly because of the work I did through my company with the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights.

Additonally, in order to aid the transformation in the accounting sector which, if you did not know, is suffering immensely with unpresidented failure of black youth candidates in the 2nd qualifying exam; I founded a Non-profit dedicated to providing lessons in order to prepare candidates who have previously failed FOR FREE.

And as if I was not done for period of 3 years prior to the Covid19 pandemic provided FREE talks to students at Wits "Girl Talk" which covered topics such as career, relationships, health, sexual crimes, academic stress, etc.

AND after ALL THAT the committee saw it fit that I was NOT BETTER than a Senior Researcher who has MATRIC???? Come on !!! I Applied to be a board member and practically begged you to put me part of this board largely because of the torture I experienced with being a youth trying to start a business in South Africa. DO BETTER, WE are here available and ready to work !