There are times in life when we feel overwhelmed by our circumstances: Work. Bills. Family. To do lists that never seem to end. You feel tired and drained. Why do you do this to yourself? Surely, just taking life easy seems the more logical option than combining work and study. You feel the urge to…
The recent evaluation of South Africa by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the threat of ‘greylisting’ for various deficiencies linked to poor money laundering controls has led to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) amending Schedule 1 to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act. Schedule 1 sets out which persons would be classified as accountable…
Forbes has identified ‘AI everywhere’ as a top technology trend for 2023 and beyond. As you may have witnessed in the past few months, developments by OpenAI’s ChatGPT are bringing this to reality, with generative AI set to change the way people and business do things. ‘AI everywhere’ refers to the integration of artificial intelligence…
BR Whitaker & Co is a small accounting business based in East London that celebrates its 90th anniversary on 1 March. The business was established back in 1933 by Bernard Rolfe Whitaker, and for four generations the eldest son has gone onto become a CA(SA) and work for the family business. 4 Generations of CAs(SA)…
From balance sheets to burpees − Khanya Modipa has used her background as a CA(SA) to build a burgeoning fitness empire. When Khanya Modipa travelled back to South Africa from the United States to renew her visa, she had no way of knowing that the anticipated two-week stint would turn into a two-year adventure. Nor…
Unless we can get the accountancy profession to ‘swallow the alarm clock’, we can expect the same climate change apathy beyond the window dressing in ESG reports. Perhaps a jolt in a different direction may help. Climate change is not just about floods and droughts but also the prospect of changing disease patterns and future…
One of the more difficult leadership moments is for you to master the process of communicating distressing news. Regardless if the news is about a business restructuring; informing of tragedy, or taking a principled standpoint on behalf of your company – this type of speech requires diplomacy and structure. DINESHRIE PILLAY CA(SA) Business Owner and…
ISQM 11, ISQM2 2 and ISA 220 (Revised)3 come into effect on 15 December 2022. These standards are expected to have a significant impact on all firms that perform engagements in accordance with the IAASB standards. The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), in collaboration with the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA) and…
I could not wait for the launch of the latest Samsung S23 series because of the competition in the high-end smartphones and considering that South African consumers have been going through some tough economic times with prices of basic necessities increasing every day. So my question was basically why would one go for the latest…
Polani Sokombela was appointed chief financial officer (CFO) at the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) in March 2022. A seasoned CA(SA), he has worked his way up through the AGSA ranks since starting his career as a trainee accountant at the organisation in 2007. His impressive career highlights the success of the AGSA’s training and…