Sesethu Cekeshe, a tax practitioner in Gauteng who started helping individuals, is a force to be reckoned with in the financial sector.
Last August, Cekeshe, a seasoned and experienced tax expert, decided to assist those who were struggling to file their tax returns and address other related issues.
“What started as my tax justice baby in August last year, helping individuals with their South African Revenue Service (Sars) disputes and other matters, led to the founding of Nuanced Advisory in Legal & Accounting.”
Cekeshe’s journey to the top has never been easy, as she completed her undergraduate studies while working and self-funded her education, determined to graduate.
Cekeshe, who was born in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, was raised by her grandparents, whom she is grateful to, for teaching her responsibility at an early stage and encouraging her to think for herself and supported her in developing her own voice and values, that continue to shape how she leads, works and lives.
“I believe my family loves me deeply, even though they don’t fully understand what I do or where I am going. Their prayer is one day I will find a good job.”
Cekeshe is a big fan of education and encourages youngsters who would like to emulate her to keep on studying until they reach their goals in life.
“I eventually completed a BCom in law at Wits University, after financial exclusion. It was the only university I applied to in matric.
“I later pursued the management advancement programme at Wits Business School, which sharpened my leadership and strategic thinking. I am a first-generation Wits graduate in my family and I am proud of that.”
An entrepreneurial talent
She described herself as highly entrepreneurial, always building something and thinking forward, but also enjoying life fully.
“I believe in earning well and living well.”
Cekeshe said when she was not busy assisting clients, she liked to keep learning by registering for short courses.
She is happy to see her new firm becoming a multidisciplinary advisory entity providing accessible tax, legal and accounting solutions.
“I am privileged to work alongside a chartered accountant and a fiduciary attorney, who lead our more complex corporate, assurance and estate matters, while I focus on my passion, which is personal income tax and serving the underserved.
“We support individuals, professionals, entrepreneurs and global citizens navigating complex tax matters, cross-border tax, wealth structuring and regulatory exposure.”
Cekeshe is a seasoned tax practitioner with over 12 years’ experience in assurance, banking and advisory within the financial services sector.
She has worked for entities, including Sars, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Investec, where she gained deep insights, especially on how tax and accounting systems function in practice.
“This breadth allows me to approach tax and wealth creation strategically.”
International appeal
Her firm operates in different countries and is headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with reach across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The company started to work more with clients who led global lives and moved across borders.
“We refer to this as global mobility, which led to the launch of our global mobility consultation series.
“I have recently returned from the UAE and Thailand, meeting clients, building stakeholder relationships and strengthening international collaboration on tax matters.
“Our clients are everywhere and our advisory footprint continues to expand as such, with more countries planned for the rest of 2026.”
She said one of the biggest challenges in her daily work was helping clients overcome their fears around tax and replace it with understanding and empowerment.
Another challenge is navigating an environment where young black women entrepreneurs were often subject to heightened scrutiny, which requires them to be meticulous, resilient and unapologetically precise in their work.
Cekeshe’s vision is that in three years, her company will be a globally respected advisory firm, trusted internationally and known for nuanced, human-centred solutions.
“That’s why I remain client-facing as the founder. Advisory is personal to me and I want clients to feel seen and prioritised.
“As a result, our growth has been entirely referral-based, which I consider real success. A key part of this vision is also formally training graduates and students, taking up more interns and exposing them to global work early and equipping them with skills that transcend borders.”
Cekeshe said Sars has become more digitised and data-driven and increased correspondence and enforcement on taxpayers, especially put the spotlight on them, without sufficient clarity and education, which places an unfair burden on taxpayers.
People want to comply but need guidance, she added. “My role is often to bridge that gap.”
Cekeshe has urged South Africans not to fear going abroad if opportunities seem limited at home.
“Look beyond borders, align yourself strategically and move with your expertise. The world is so ready for us as South Africans.”
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