Detailed history of Nexia Cape Town

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1940’s:	During this period Mordechai “Motti” Melamed, an emigrant from Russia, set up a bookkeeping practice in Cape Town after accumulating sufficient capital by working as a bus driver. When the Public Accountants and Auditors Board requirements for the registration and regulation of auditors came into being, his reputation and abilities ensured that he was granted automatic accreditation with the Board without having to sit for the normally required final Board examinations. He was accredited to practice as an auditor.
1950’s:	The practice, styled M Melamed & Company, thrived and two young partners Monty Kaplan and Leon “Baldy” Seidel joined the practice. The firm was renamed Melamed Kaplan and Seidel.
1960’s:	The firm continued to flourish. In addition to the normal increase in staff numbers, the firm employed Benny Schlosberg , a young Chartered Accountant, who in 1969 became a partner. Motti Melamed retired after a successful career, having founded a successful practice. In parallel to the above, another firm, Walt Ger & Company had evolved as a partnership between Solly Walt and Lazarus Ger. Solly Walt retired as a partner in order to pursue commercial interests in the fishing industry and when the practice was joined by Sonny Josman, a young Chartered Accountant, it was renamed Ger Josman & Company. The practice was similar to that of Melamed Kaplan and Seidel in that it had been built on strong personal service and relationships with clients established over the years through integrity, trust and mutual respect between clients, their families and associates. Both firms grew on the basis of personal recommendations from clients and associates as no advertising was permitted in terms of the rules of the Public Accountants and Auditors Board. The Board insisted on a strict code of professional ethics whereby adverting and soliciting for work were not allowed.
1970’s:	Laz Ger suffered a stroke and although he returned to the practice briefly on a part time basis, he retired shortly thereafter due to ill health. Sonny Josman was then the sole remaining principal of the firm which had grown over the years and he needed to ensure that firm was able to continue providing the level of service that clients had enjoyed when there was more than one partner. Coincidently, during the same time, Melamed Kaplan and Seidel was also evolving. Monty Kaplan was leaving the practice to assume the position of managing director of a finance company which had been established by a client of the practice. He had assisted the client in the establishment of the firm and an increasing amount of his time needed in growing and running it resulted in his decision to devote his full time to that business. The business and its successors eventually became part of Cape of Good Hope Savings Bank with Monty Kaplan as managing director. As a result of the above, Melamed Kaplan and Seidel merged with Ger Josman and Company. The merged firm was known as Josman Seidel Ger and Kaplan. The initial partners were Sonny Josman, Leon Seidel, Monty Kaplan, Benny Schlosberg, Joe Lewin and Fred Blacher. The firm later changed its name to Josman and Seidel. Joe Lewin left the practice to pursue his own interests and Fred Blacher later resigned as a partner to pursue a career in London.
1980’s:	Josman and Seidel had expanded to become a prominent medium sized firm in Cape Town with a client base comprised largely of family owned businesses in a wide range of industries as well as professional firms in legal, medical, engineering and other disciplines. In 1982 Leon Seidel passed away towards the end of the decade Derek Shapiro joined the partnership.
1990’s:	The practice continued providing a high standard of service to its clients and also provided an excellent training ground for trainees wishing to qualify as chartered accountants. As time passed, older partners retired and younger partners were admitted, mostly from within the ranks of the firm itself. Globalization over this period highlighted that South African businesses were becoming part of the international business community and were experiencing increased international trade. In order to provide clients with easy access to worldwide services, which had become essential to business, the practice joined an international association of accounting, audit and taxation firms. After passing strict scrutiny to ensure the practice met high international standards, they became part of the Nexia International association. This association also provided representation in Johannesburg and Durban through our South African associates Nexia Levitt Kirson. As a result of the Nexia International association the name was changed to Nexia Josman Seidel and more recently to Nexia Cape Town. In 2002, after always residing in offices in the city centre , the practice moved to premises in Century City, providing clients, staff and partners with a more convenient and pleasant working environment. Century City has become a vibrant part of Cape Town, having expanded rapidly with many office, commercial, retail, residential, entertainment, hospitality and hotel developments having taken place.
To Date:	The partnership has evolved with various retirements and admissions of new partners. The current partners are: Michelle Davis, Claudette February, Conrad Meyer, Patrick Ross and Derek Shapiro all of whom served their traineeships with the firm and were promoted to partner level from within the firm.