Grandstone is a business services company based in Midrand, Johannesburg. Our target client base is typically privately owned businesses around Gauteng Province. We partner with our clients by providing Business Support and Advisory Services, allowing them to focus on what they do best. Grandstone offers a comprehensive solution to our client base by providing support packages in Payroll services, Accounting and Finance, Tax and Advisory services. We also provide a professional service in tax returns, corporate & personal tax returns.

Grandstone Group was founded by KeaObaka Mahuma 4 years ago as a business services company based in Johannesburg. KeaObaka is a chartered accountant and also holds the following academic qualifications: M.Com(Taxation), B.Com(Hon)(Accounting) and Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting, all from the University of Cape Town. KeaObaka completed his articles at Price Waterhouse in 1996, and thereafter worked for 5 years in investment banking at Brait Merchant Bank and JP MorganChase. He then joined a local IT company as Finance Director, a position which he held for 5 years.

KeaObaka is the author of the recently published tax book "2009 Tax Handbook for Small Business Owners".

Keaobaka is also an assistant editor of the taxbook “Notes on South African Income Tax” with Professors Keith Huxham and Phillip Haupt.

TAX

Compliance

The tax laws in South Africa are getting complex for businesses, and the penalties and interest that may be charged by the South African Revenue Services for non-compliance can threaten the survival of your business. Our compliance services are aimed at assisting our clients to comply with the legal provisions of the Income Tax, PAYE, VAT, SDL and UIF

Consulting

Whether you require a tax opinion on a proposed transaction that you are considering entering into, or you want to structure a transaction in a tax efficient manner within the parameters and the spirit of the tax laws, Grandstone can assist to achieve your objectives.

Training

On request, we offer focused and tailored training to small and medium businesses, individuals, small and medium size accounting and legal firms on various aspects of the South African tax legislation in the following areas – Income Tax, PAYE, VAT, SDL and UIF.

Seminars

Together with Hedron Tax and Publishing CC, we run annual tax updates in Johannesburg and Cape Town for our clients and potential clients. The purpose of these seminars is to update our clients on South African tax developments

Due diligence

Prior to investing in any business it is advisable to perform a tax due diligence so as to identify potential ‘hidden’ tax liabilities. Grandstone can assist in performing such due diligences and even advise on the most appropriate way to structure a transaction to protect your investment from such contingent liabilities

Disputes resolution

From time to time businesses are involved in disputes with Revenue Services because of difference in opinion regarding interpretation of various provisions of the Income Tax Act and the VAT Act. As specialists in South African tax law we can assist clients in resolving such disputes.

Accounting & Finance

Transaction processing & financial reporting

Depending on the engagement model with the client, our staff can process transactions from source documents (be it invoices to customers, supplier invoices, bank statement transactions), through to adjustments and producing monthly management reports and annual financial statements as and when required by the clients. Our service can be provided off-site or on-site, thus giving our clients complete flexibility and ‘control' over work done if necessary. This includes Payroll Ssrvices and Financial management, payroll processing and reporting (including issuing of payslips to employees).

Corporate financial planning

We can assist clients with the process of preparing budgets and forecasts. Our methodology is based on first understanding the fundamental drivers of the client’s business, then, together with the client, build forecasts and budgets using the bottom-up approach taking into account the environment in which the business operates.

Implementing & monitoring financial controls

Whether it is a start-up or an already established business, our team can assist to implement financial controls that are necessary to maintain the integrity of the accounting system and environment.

Training

We provide training to accountants and bookkeepers on specific aspects of accounting, financial management or tax compliance – including the following areas: transaction processing, reconciliations, budgeting, financial forecasting, cash flow forecasting and monitoring, and working capital management, and tax compliance.

We can also tailor-make our training for business owners who would just like to obtain an understanding of the financial, tax and payroll affairs of their businesses. For further details in this regard, please send an e-mail to: training@grandstone.co.za.

Corporate Finance

Grandstone Corporate Finance provides corporate advisory services to privately owned businesses that wish to engage in mergers, acquisitions, disposals and restructurings.

Due Diligence

Proper due diligence is an important part of assessing whether to proceed with an acquisition of a business and, if the transaction goes forward, how best to negotiate, structure and fund it. A well-conducted financial due diligence process encompassing accounting, financial, cash flow, information systems and tax analysis should reveal both the risks and opportunities of a potential transaction.

Where required we can perform or project manage a due diligence process together with other transaction support specialists, as well as professionals from other disciplines — including tax, operations, human resources and information technology specialists to provide an excellent level of service for our clients.

Transaction structuring

Our transaction structuring services are aimed at advising privately owned businesses that wish to engage in merger, acquisition, disposal and re-organisation transactions. These specialised services comprise:

• providing tax opinions on proposed transaction structures; and
• advising on and designing transaction structures, and if required, project manage the implementation of those structures on behalf of clients.

Capital raising

Whether it is to raise an overdraft, or raising of long-term capital for privately owned businesses, we work with our clients to identify, facilitate and negotiate with potential funders of businesses to ensure successful capital raising.

Careers

We are constantly looking for new graduates, bookkeepers, accountants, tax consultants and financial controllers to either work for Grandstone or for our clients (on a permanent or a labour broking basis). Interested applicants can send their CV’s and covering letters explaining why they should be considered to: jobs@grandstone.co.za

Applicants should be willing to take technical competency tests at Grandstone offices as part of the interview process.