About

Profile: Jonathan Lizo Jacobs CFE
Director: The Vuvuzela Hotline
Director: SAB&T
Jonathan Jacobs is a crime-fighter with a difference. Armed with academic qualifications in accounting and fraud, the 32-year-old Vuvuzela Hotline and SAB&T Director specialises in investigating white-collar crime, and has a formidable reputation for dealing with corruption and procurement fraud.
He heads up the National Forensic Practice for SAB&T, and is passionate about building up a culture of ethical best practice in South Africa .
‘It is imperative that we stamp out corruption, to ensure the best possible future for this country,’ he says with quiet but steely determination. ‘And people need to know they have the chance to make a difference. The Vuvuzela Hotline offers people the opportunity to participate in this vision in a safe, anonymous and results-driven environment.’
What he’s saying is that if we want a corruption-free society – from the places we work to the governments we elect – we can play a role. In fact, we should .
Previously employed at one of South Africa ’s “Big Four” auditing companies, Jacobs has first-hand experience of tackling fraud, misappropriation of funds, tax evasion and other financial illegalities at a range of private companies, government departments and corporate firms.
He has managed a number of joint task team investigations for law enforcement agencies including the Directorate of Special Operations, SARS, the Asset Forfeiture Unit and the Office of the Auditor General. From tracking the sale of confiscated abalone to investigating attorneys who abuse trust funds, Jacobs methodically hunts down the bad guys. It’s something he’s got very good at.
The Vuvuzela Hotline offers him the chance to channel his expertise in a creative way. ‘I’m a positive person, but I’ve been involved in a very negative industry, where there have seldom been happy endings,’ Jacobs explains. ‘With the Vuvuzela Hotline, we will be working hand-in-hand with companies and individuals to find the best solutions to ethical and other issues. It’s not just a case of identifying problems – we will work together to try and solve them.
‘The next generation is going to need role models – and we need to ask what kind of people we are putting in these positions. People who are clear about their ethical and moral responsibilities, or those who try to blur the boundaries?’ he asks.
Jacobs himself has been on a clear career path since growing up ‘in shack number 128′ on a smallholding in Phillipi, in the Cape . He gained his B.Com (Acc) at the University of the Western Cape , and went on to acquire postgraduate certificates in fraud examination and accountancy.
His tenure at one of the country’s biggest auditing companies gave him the opportunity to hone his skills on numerous high-profile fraud cases, and he continues to closely follows forensic practice both nationally and internationally. He is an member of the international and local chapters of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Describing himself as ‘a Capetonian, born and bred’, Jacobs says that when he is not working, he likes to spend time with his family and friends, and enjoys a round of golf. Not that unexpected for an accountant, perhaps. What is a little more unusual is that he likes to de-stress by taking his R6 Yamaha motorbike on long runs and rallies. ‘Yes, I’m a biker,’ he grins shyly. ‘When I’m out on the road I can be alone with my thoughts. It’s one way to maintain balance and sanity.’
Jonathan Jacobs is certainly not your usual crime-buster …