Rivasha Maharaj joins Omnia as new AGRI FD

AI is reshaping finance faster than many organisations can govern it. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in financial reporting, audit, risk and decision making, finance leaders need to understand not only what AI can do, but who remains accountable when things go wrong.

In a session at the 2026 Finance Indaba titled Compliance without constraints: Navigating the PFMA and MFMA while maintaining operational efficiency, top public sector finance leaders explained how finance chiefs can strengthen accountability while removing operational barriers to service delivery.

In a 2026 Finance Indaba session titled The zero-day close: Moving from retrospective reporting to real-time reality, Roger Knocker, CEO of FP&A and Shaveera John, CFO of Malander discussed how AI is beginning to challenge how those in finance gather information. This allows more time for interpretation and anticipating what comes next, ultimately enabling businesses to make better decisions.

Soul City Institute for Social Justice executives discussed mental wellbeing as an essential part of an organisation’s bottom line at the 2026 Finance Indaba.

Finance leaders at the 2026 Finance Indaba discussed the importance of empathy, transparent communication and practical support when businesses face difficult financial decisions.

According to Victor Sekese, chairman at the Centre for Assurance Quality and Reporting, South Africa’s fight against corruption cannot be left to government, law enforcement or whistleblowers alone. He said finance professionals, with their influence over financial controls, audits, procurement and payments, have the opportunity and the responsibility to challenge wrongdoing before it becomes entrenched.