That early fascination with money, power, and opportunity would define her journey into finance. By the time she was in grade three, Kayise was already renting out spare school hats for R5 at lunchtime, a clever business model that revealed her entrepreneurial instincts and her ability to see opportunity where others saw only lost property.
Kayise’s academic journey wasn’t without setbacks. After enrolling in UCT’s demanding Business Science degree, she stumbled when accounting was reintroduced to the curriculum in her third year. For someone who had never failed before, the experience was humbling. “A delay is not a denial,” she reflects, a mantra that carried her through repeating her Postgraduate Diploma while starting her articles at SNG Grant Thornton.
Her resilience paid off. She passed both board exams in a single year, a feat that required grit, discipline, and unwavering self-belief. “I often remind myself of that period when I feel overwhelmed now,” she says. “If I could survive that, I can push through anything.”
After completing her articles, Kayise transitioned into EY’s Strategy and Transactions division, where she quickly learned to see numbers not as an auditor, but as an advisor. Instead of verifying, she learned to interrogate patterns, trends, and triggers to understand what makes a business tick.
Yet as much as she enjoyed the technical rigour, she craved a deeper, more human connection. “People energise me,” she says. “I love spreadsheets, but I love people more. I wanted to find a role that married the two.” Private equity was the perfect fit.
The opportunity came serendipitously. A friend introduced her to Vuna Partners while the firm was still young. For Kayise, the attraction was immediate: “It felt like coming home. I’ve always thrived in smaller, more personal environments where your efforts are visible. And with Siya and Shafiek, I felt an authentic warmth and empathy. That’s rare in this industry.”
Joining Vuna gave her the chance to be part of building something new while working alongside leaders committed to principled investing and impact. “It wasn’t just about financial returns. It was about leaving a lasting legacy for the businesses we partner with and the people they employ.”
For Kayise, leadership is about empathy paired with excellence.
“Empathy is our superpower at Vuna. It’s how we connect with entrepreneurs, understand their challenges, and craft realistic solutions. But empathy without excellence isn’t enough. We pride ourselves on being dependable, on executing with discipline, and on repeating that success.”
Her ability to balance detail orientation with a big-picture perspective is already proving invaluable. Whether it’s scrutinising legal agreements, preparing for exits, or fundraising, she approaches challenges with a calm resilience honed by experience. “Fundraising, for example, forces you to interrogate yourself as much as investors interrogate you. It’s like doing due diligence on ourselves, defining our unique strengths and strategy.”
Kayise believes trust is the foundation of every successful deal. “Entrepreneurs don’t just want capital; they want a partner who listens and who can walk the journey with them. Our job is to plug the gaps, whether financial, strategic, or operational, without overpromising.”
She’s quick to point out that management teams are often the deciding factor in exits. “Put the entrepreneurs in front of buyers sooner. It builds conviction faster. At the end of the day, investors are backing people as much as they’re backing businesses.”
While many in her field dream of starting their own funds, Kayise is refreshingly clear: “I don’t want to be my own jockey. I want to be the catalyst, the one who helps others realise their potential.” For her, Vuna remains the right platform to do that.
“Here, we’re not just colleagues. We’re bound by shared values, mentorship, and the belief that we can change South Africa’s economic landscape.”
Looking ahead, she sees opportunity in the growing interest of foreign investors in South African assets, but cautions that empowerment and cultural fit remain critical. “The larger the asset, the narrower the pool of local buyers. But success will depend not just on capital, but on aligning with the right people.”
Outside of private equity, Kayise is anything but one-dimensional. She describes herself as a “jack-of-all-trades,” dabbling in paddle, tennis, golf, Hyrox, music, and attending music festivals. Friends, podcasts, travelling, and time outdoors help her recharge.
Yet whether at work or at play, she remains motivated by an endearing curiosity, energy, and the desire to connect. It’s what makes her stand out in private equity, a detail-oriented professional who never forgets that at the heart of every transaction is a human story.