ROWAN HAAI, AN ALUMNUS WITH HEART, TENACITY AND VIGOUR
Authenticity, work ethic and vision are three things Rowan Haai holds dear to himself, which no one can take away from him. Born and bred in Pretoria, Haai is a 22-year-old alumnus of UJ with commendable accolades under his belt. The accomplished alumnus of the Department of Accountancy, was recognised as the 2023 Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa (IIASA) Young Internal Auditor of the Year in August. Adding a touch of distinction, the award’s significance is amplified by the fact that another UJ alumnus, Ms Gift Somakwabe, was previously honoured as the 2022 IIA SA Young Internal Auditor of the Year at the same event last year. When asked what this meant for him, Haai said it was important for him to work hard now and start building his empire at this age. “I choose to work hard now and build my foundation early. I don’t want to be defined by what I am - the titles, accolades and awards. I want to be defined by who I am, and I am someone who has a vision. I am someone who is authentic and I make decisions for my life based on my authenticity” says the Internal Audit Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He did his undergraduate BCom Accounting degree from 2019. In this degree he passed with 17 distinctions. His second degree, a BCom Honours in Internal Auditing, he passed with four distinctions. He was also the Top Academic Achiever. While he managed to achieve 17 distinctions, Haai didn’t have it easy back at home. Prior to moving to the Northern Cape, Rowan and his parents lived in Eersterust, Pretoria. His parents, a hardworking pair, made sure that despite all the challenges they faced, they never went to bed hungry. Unfortunately, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit they were left jobless and forced to live with relatives. “My parents could never afford to buy their own house, so we have always rented in back rooms as far as I can remember. When Covid hit in 2020 and my parents lost their jobs, they had to relocate to the Northern Cape to go live with family because they couldn’t afford to pay rent,” he said. This forced him to take on more pressure just so he could keep things afloat for his family. “In 2021 I tutored 6 modules at UJ, worked at the Gauteng Department of Education, which is where I also wrote my exams. Through the hard work and saving, I was able to buy my parents a house at the age of 20. So home is now in the Northern Cape, Kimberley,” Haai shared. Being able to secure a home for his family has been the motivation behind all of Rowan’s successes. “What always kept me motivated was the end goal. When my parents lost their jobs and had to relocate and left me in Gauteng, what kept me motivated was my “WHY”. I pursued my first degree because I wanted to give my family a better life. The economic freedom they deserve,” he said. Haai currently works for an accounting firm, PwC, as a Governance, Risk and Internal Audit Associate. On future plans, he looks to enrol for his Master’s degree in the next intake. “I am looking forward to a future where I am working towards my professional designation, which is to become a Certified Internal Auditor. I am also looking to enrol for my Master’s degree,” he said.
University of Johannesburg alumnus Rowan Haai.
Top: Haai was recognised as the 2023 Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa (IIASA) Young Internal Auditor of the Year in August. Bottom: Rowan Haai gave a speech to the BCom Honours in Internal Auditing & Taxation Class of 2023 in December.
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