The University of Zululand (UNIZULU) held the SAICA Accreditation Awareness on Monday, 11 September 2017, and today (Tuesday, 12 September 2017) in preparation for the highly-anticipated accreditation process of the University’s BCom in Accounting Science degree by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).

The accreditation process will take place next month (October) from the 3rd to the 5th.

SAICA is a professional accountancy body in South Africa that provides support, advice and services to its member Chartered Accountants (CAs) throughout their professional lives. In order for an institution of higher education to offer a professional degree, the programme must be accredited by a professional body. In this case, it is the duty of SAICA to ensure that the BCom in Accounting Science degree at the UNIZULU meets the qualitative criteria to be offered as a course.

“We are thrilled that our first undergraduate degree is in the possibility of getting accredited,” said UNIZULU Accounting and Auditing Head of Department, Sphelele Khomo. “We are hopeful that when SAICA visits us, the organisation will be impressed by our work and accredit our programme,” she said.

Following the success of the pre-accreditation event, UNIZULU’s Quality of Assurance Manager, Thembi Ndimande, said the aim of the new programme was to have students who have qualified for the BCom in Accounting Science degree be able to practise as Chartered Accountants.

“We do have a three year degree which is an unprofessional degree, hence the University felt that it was very important to have this one (new programme) which is in a possibility of getting SAICA accredited. The new programme will now take the responsibility of the Accounting degree,” said Ndimande. She added, “We want our students to be registered accountants. So for them to be registered Accountants, their programme needs to be accredited by SAICA. It’s a must that we get full accreditation because if we don’t, this will mean that our programme will not be a professional degree and the University will not be able or continue to offer it. So, the main aim at the end of the day is for our students to be registered Chartered Accountants since there is a shortage of, especially black Accountants in South Africa,” said Ndimande.

In conclusion, Khomo disclosed that the department’s next move- hopefully after getting the accreditation- is to maintain the standard as well as to offer a Certificate in Theory in Accountancy (CTA) which is the course’s second degree.”

– Samkele Sokhela

Pictured: UNIZULU Accounting and Auditing Head of Department, Sphelele Khomo, during the BCom in Accounting Science degree SAICA Awareness Campaign.