Sarika Lakraj

BIBLIOGRAPHY
SARIKA LAKRAJ-NAIDOO

Sarika Lakraj is the CFO of the Public Safety Department at the City of Johannesburg. She is currently involved in litigation due to whistle-blower activity, information of which is currently available in the media under the headline “City of Crooks”.

Sarika Lakraj has a professional registration SAIBA 13420 as CFO(SA) with The South African Institute of Business Accountants. She is awaiting the conferring of the DBM/PHD qualification from the Regenesys Business School where her topic for publication was “Developing a standardized strategy for the SA Government to report fraud, corruption, nepotism and irregular business activity”.

Sarika’s interest includes research and writing academic papers, that include “Leadership and Management Failure within the SA Public Health System – A case study of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital”, fruitless & wasteful expenditure and irregular expenditure reports following investigations for government departments.

Sarika’s accolades include Most Influential Woman in Gauteng 2020, 2022; nomination for the Forbes SA Most Influential Woman in South Africa; nomination for South Africa’s Most Fabulous Woman, interviews of which are available in media under her name.

Sarika has registered a company Wild Horses Advisory & Consulting Services (WHAC) that is involved in finance, project management and forensic work, where a partly self- funded narcotics rehabilitation centre has been set up and is operational in De Deur. Through this company, Sarika also provides assistance to Widows in Distress where she assists with guidance and support of mandatory requirements of the Masters Office in terms of death and estates. Sarika assists entrepreneurs and SMME’s to access funding after she provides information and guidance on the compilation of business plans.

Sarika’s previous CFO roles included Emergency Management Services for the City of Johannesburg, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, SA Human Rights Commission and JOSHCO housing company.

Sarika’s forensic exposure for this role involves expert level competence of financial and supply chain management technical ability, financial and supply chain analysis, application of the SA laws and the regulatory framework in the workplace, contraventions thereof, research, strategy for long-term remedy, strengthening of internal control to prevent a reoccurrence of a transgression of a similar nature, the compilation of statements, evidentiary proof, forensic reports for matters of internal discipline and external criminal reporting when financial loss is incurred (1998 to 2022)

In terms of Sarika’s fiduciary duty, she interacts extensively with Audit, Legal, Forensic firms, South African Police Services (SAPS) Commercial crimes, High priority crime, organized crime, Hawks, Special Investigating Unit (SIU), National Prosecuting Unit (NPA), Public Protector Office (PP), SA State Security Agency (SSA), SAPS VVIP Protection Unit, Provincial Police Commissioners Office (ProvComm), Parliament, Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), Corruption Watch (NGO), Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), National Treasury (NT), Provincial Treasury, Auditor General’s Office (AG), Provincial Government Departments, Municipalities, National Government Departments and she has an established interactive network of professional contacts;

Sarika’s skill can be demonstrated by her technical report writing expertise - statements with evidentiary proof, presentations to various audiences; compilation of forensic reports for the KZN Department of Transport on irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure (Singular examples provided due to high level sensitivity of information) 
Sarika’s curriculum vitae is attached for your kind perusal together with her educational qualifications.

Candidate Overview

1.QUALIFICATIONS

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION: CFO(SA) THE SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR BUSINESS ACCOUNTANTS (SAIBA) REGISTRATION NUMBER SAIBA13420

1.1 Current
 Doctorate (PHD) topic: Developing a standardized strategy for the SA Government to report fraud, corruption, nepotism and irregular business activity – Regenesys Business School

 Paper on “Leadership and Management Failure within the SA Public Health System – A case study of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital”  

1.2 Complete
 Master’s Degree Business Administration / NQF Level 8 - Regenesys Business School Dissertation topic “Developing a standardized strategy for Municipalities in Gauteng to report fraud, corruption, nepotism and irregular business activity”

 Minimum Competency MFMA unit standards as prescribed by Regulation 493 of 15 June 2007 – 597 credits

 National Diploma in Cost and Management Accounting from ML Sultan Technikon/ Technikon RSA and UNISA that can be converted as credits toward the international CIMA qualification.

 Matric Senior Certificate with exemption from Lakehaven Secondary School

1.3 Interests
 Research, writing academic papers (Fruitless & Wasteful expenditure, Irregular Expenditure), performing investigations into high risk and high value transactions, non-compliant transactions, contraventions of governance transactions;
 Non-profitable business analysis, recommendations for remedy and improvement of business operations, minimizing costs and maximizing profit models for best value for money;
 Forensic work involving expert level competence of financial and supply chain management technical ability, financial and supply chain analysis, application of the SA laws and the regulatory framework in the workplace, contraventions thereof, research, strategy for long-term remedy and strengthening of internal control to prevent a reoccurrence of a transgression of a similar nature (1998 to 2022);
 Audit, Legal, Forensic firms, South African Police Services (SAPS) Commercial crimes, High priority crime, organized crime, Hawks, Special Investigating Unit (SIU), National Prosecuting Unit (NPA), Public Protector Office (PP), SA State Security Agency (SSA), SAPS VVIP Protection Unit, Provincial Police Commissioners Office (ProvComm), Parliament, Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), Corruption Watch (NGO), Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), National Treasury (NT), Provincial Treasury, Provincial Government Departments, Municipalities, National Government Departments, Auditor General’s Office (AG), Labour Unions – established interactive networks of professional contacts;
 Technical report writing expertise - statements with evidentiary proof, presentations to various audiences; compilation of forensic reports for the KZN Department of Transport on irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure (Singular examples provided due to high level sensitivity of information)

2. PRIMARY JOB TITLES
 Executive / Chief Financial Officer / Executive Director Finance & Supply Chain Management / Director Management Accounting (2002 – Current, 20 years)
 Accountant / Manager / Analyst / Bookkeeper (1988-2001, 14 years)

3. ACHIEVEMENTS
 PERSONAL: -
 Most Influential Woman in Gauteng 2020, 2022
 Nomination for the Forbes SA Most Influential Woman in South Africa; 
 Nomination South Africa’s Most Fabulous Woman;
 (Recorded interviews are available on social media including the YouTube channel under Sarika Lakraj)
 Currently writing a book on my life journey over the past five years to encourage women entitled “Truth be told” which will be adapted into a film once the book is published (Big M Productions)
 Formation of Wild Horses Advisory that is involved in a narcotics rehabilitation program in De Deur, that is partly self-funded and additionally funded by the Independent Development Corporation (IDC) and the European Union (EU).

 UNQUALIFIED AUDIT OPINION: -
(1) SA Human Rights Commission (since inception)
(2) Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto (after 80 years) 
(3) Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO) 
(4) City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS)
(5) City of Johannesburg Public Safety Department

 REVENUE MANAGEMENT, CASH MANAGEMENT, REVENUE GENERATIONS & COLLECTION (achievement above allocated target): -
(1) Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto 
(2) City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS)
(3) COJ Public Safety

 EXTERNAL DONOR FUNDING & MOTIVATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING: -
(1) Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (Uthingo R120 000, World Lottery Euros 70 000, Samaritans Purse USD 20 000, Golf Days R350 000, R360 000, AFROX R1 million) 
(2) City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) (PPE donations during Covid-19, sustenance from various donors for fire incidences)
(3) COJ Public Safety (Safety Forum 3 vehicles for Rosebank and Sandton precinct)

 INNOVATION: -
(1) African Bank: Implementation of new technology within the sales environment of a hand- held PDA and printer where field agents could offer micro-loans to customers real-time and on-line instead of administration in an office environment; 
(2) Safmarine Cape Town & Gauteng Department of Housing: SAP implementation & interface reconciliations, SAP Champion user for the FI and CO modules;
(3) Gauteng Department of Housing & SA Human Rights Commission: Input into the compilation of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) practice notes, promulgated into South African Law in 2005 as part of the addendum to the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) that is applicable to the Provincial Departments and Chapter nine institutions;
(4) SA Human Rights Commission: Input into the King 11 and the King 111 governance reports with Mervyn King on corporate governance implementation within the SA Government Departments, and practically applies these principles in the workplace for clean and good governance;
(5) Grindrod Ships Agency, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Emergency Management Services & Public Safety EMS, JMPD, Disaster, Licensing, IIOC: Forensic accounting to recover monies for the State in terms of financial loss incurred due to irregular business activity, fraud, corruption, nepotism and maladministration (1998 to date, fiduciary duty, twenty-four (24) years forensic investigations experience, reporting internally and to government authority (SAPS, PP, NPA, Hawks, SCOPA), statement compilation, collation of evidentiary proof, SAPS case numbers, co-operation with externally appointed legal firms and forensic firms, expert witness testimony); 
(6) Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Gauteng Department of Housing & SA Human Rights Commission & subsequent positions: Compilation of strategic plans with identified priorities, top 10 cost drivers & funding models, operational plans for purposes of implementation,  operational and capital budgets, compilation of annual financial statements, compilation of annual reports, developing and implementing information technology reporting modules & systems, performance managing & training staff, developing scorecards & being a mentor, and generally looking for the smartest options of doing things and meeting strict deadlines.
(7) Public Safety: Developing and modifying policy and procedure for strict internal control that is not open for flouting of the SA Laws e.g., MFMA, National Treasury Policy
(8) Master/Mistress of ceremonies for Minister of Health & Justice Minister, attended and represented SA Human Rights Commission & Department of Health in Parliament, Hosted MEC stakeholder workshops.

1. HUMANITARIAN WORK/EFFORTS
(1) Community service at the oncology ward, the HIV/Palliative care unit and the pediatric wards at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital;
(2) Provide assistance to Widows in Distress for administration assistance & support, to report death estates of spouses/partners to the Masters’ Office, compilation of liquidation & distribution accounts, advertisements in the newspapers, government gazettes etc.
(3) Draft and finalize motivations for funding and business plans for new entrepreneurship ideas, and guide and assist entrepreneurs with company registration, procedure and process to secure government or private funding to implement business ideas;
(4) Draft and finalize motivations for funding and business plans for new SMMEs, and guide and assist SMMEs with company registration, procedure and process to secure government or private funding, and responses to tenders (taking into account minimum requirements) to secure public sector and private sector business opportunities;
(5) Draft and finalize motivations for funding and business plans for the formation of new Co-Operatives, and guide and assist these Co-Operatives with registration, procedure and process to secure government, SETA, or private funding, and responses to tenders (taking into account minimum requirements) to secure public sector and private sector business opportunities.
(6) Involved with the compilation of Annual Financial Statements for small business.
(7) Start-up company Wild Horses Advisory & Consulting Services (WHAC) through Emerge once the matter with the current employer is finalized.  

4. ROLES / RESPONSIBILITIES
 Managed institutions as the 2IC for staff complements of eighty (80) to eleven thousand nine hundred and seventy-five (11 975); 
 Interacts at Executive, senior management level that includes SA Parliament, Boards of Directors, Audit/MPAC/MAC Committees; Political Leadership -Ministers, Mayor, MEC, Members of Executive Committees/ Mayoral Committees/ Councillors; Administrative Leadership - Head of Government Departments, City Managers, Executive Management, Directors;
 Active involvement in union and labor negotiations during protests, unrest, strikes, work stoppages and wage negotiations;
 Leadership roles in the areas of human resource management, information technology, finance, supply chain management, sales, forensics, laundry, mortuary, and various medical disciplines; 
 Emotional and spiritual intelligence, discipline, expertise, mentorship, people centric approach means that employees feel valued, are given an opportunity to learn and are exposed to the end-result. Employees who are rigid in their thinking are given alternatives in relation to relief and remedy;
 Deduces recommendations after research to improve business profitability, production efficiencies and streamlining of business operations, change management, impact measurement, financing and cash flow decisions that are best for business operations and overall improvement in best value for money transactions. 
 Observations and recommendations are formulated on a premise of the regulatory environment and entails interaction at all levels for inclusivity and support. 
 
 

Current PHD 

Developing a standardized strategy for the SA government to report fraud, corruption, nepotism and irregular business activity