The number of years it takes to get the CA(SA) designation is of less importance than your reasons for becoming a chartered accountant. Journeys differ significantly. The drive and passion of people at both ends of the spectrum − people who qualify at a very young age and those who do so when they are more mature in years − are inspirational in different ways. Mbeko Mbebe shares his journey and insights about the profession.
With the release of the December 2022 Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) results in February 2023, Mbeko Mbebe became a chartered accountant. He remarks that at this stage in his life, he was far more focused than he was during his younger years. After a career going up the ranks at the Auditor-General, he is today an audit manager at the Auditor-General SA’s Eastern Cape unit and is also involved in SAIGA’s (Southern African Institute of Government Auditors) board course, preparing for candidates to write their board exams.
Mbebe believes that the major difference between qualifying as a young person and doing so later in life was finding the time to focus on studying while working. During the year he passed his Certificate in the Theory of Accounting (CTA), for example, he was leading two municipal audits in different remote rural towns. It was quite difficult to travel every week to two different audits that are far apart from each other and to study a course as demanding as CTA at the same time. There are some positives to this balancing act, however − for example, the practical experience gained as audit manager on the audits of clients in the education sector assisted Mbebe with his comprehension of an APC practice case study (based on the education sector) and his overall success in the APC.
Mbebe was born in Lota A/A, a small village in Idutywa. His mother (a single parent) was a teacher and a firm believer in the value of education. She wanted him to succeed and despite hardships and less resources in their rural schools at the time, he passed matric well in the year 2000 at JS Skenjana in Idutywa, secured a scholarship with the Hexagon Trust, and went on to pursue a BCom(Acc) at the University of Cape Town.
Even as a schoolboy, his love for figures led him to think about a career in accounting, even though in his younger age he wanted to be teacher, taking great inspiration from the impact that the teachers in his village have in developing young people. Like other high achievers, he was encouraged to study medicine, engineering, or BCom(Acc).
His eligibility to register as a CA(SA) did not come easy for Mbebe. His journey started in 2001 when he went to UCT and was hoping to qualify in 2007, only to be delayed by 15 years and qualify only in 2023. He failed his CTA four times and cancelled CTA registration four times (he exhausted his CTA attempts two times and had to go back to do third year (BCTA) twice) due to the difficulty of balancing demanding work and study, but he never really gave up on his dream. ‘Never downgrade your dream to match the current reality, but upgrade your faith to match your destiny,’ he says. When he finally passed his CTA in 2018, he wrote the ITC and failed his first attempt and passed the second time around, in 2020. He proceeded to attempt APC, which he eventually passed in 2023, becoming eligible to register as a CA(SA).
As a married man with two children, he had to find a balance between work, family and his dream of becoming a CA(SA). As tough as it was, he held on to his aspirations. According to Mbebe, death is not the most tragic loss in life. The most tragic loss is what dies inside you while you are still alive. ‘I had to make sure that my CA(SA) dream does not die.’
After many years of perseverance, his academic qualifications now include a BCom(Acc) (2005), a postgraduate diploma in accounting science (BCTA 2010), an advanced diploma in accounting science (BCTA 2017), and a postgraduate diploma in applied accounting science (CTA 2018). Professionally, he has passed SAICA’s Initial Test of Competence (ITC) and the APC recently. He is also a registered government auditor (RGA) registered with the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors (SAIGA). He is currently busy with the Leadership Development Programme for Senior Managers at the University of Pretoria.
Mbebe thanks SAICA’s Thuthuka Bursary Fund, which stepped in while he was writing ITC − that intervention was life changing, he feels. He gives special thanks to his wife, family, extended family, mentors, friends, bosses, colleagues, and his employer of choice – AGSA − for the support through this journey. He is also grateful to the Endunamoo board course and UCT board course for the technical assistance during this journey.
A CA(SA) 15 years later than the anticipated date
Mbebe comments that the battle to study and hold down a job at the same time taught him determination and patience.
He wishes the younger generation could be introduced to the psychology of success (Dweck’s ‘growth mindset’) at a younger age. Those with a growth mindset believe that they can become smarter, more intelligent, and more talented through putting in time and effort. In other words, when leaners know that their minds would grow in response to challenge or failure, they are more likely to persevere when they fail, because they won’t believe that failure is a permanent condition. Mbebe wishes that learners could be taught to be ready to fail and to start all over again without breaking down or going into a deep depression.
A CA(SA) qualification changes things
Mbebe’s life journey has taught him to be resilient, to persevere and to survive. ‘I believe my growth as a CA(SA) will depend on combination of my professional qualification, my life journey and my character,’ he says. ‘My ability to nurture my emotional intelligence will be important. I am a strong believer in the growth mindset − I believe a person’s true potential is unknown (and unknowable); that it’s impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, perseverance, toil, and training.’
He believes it is imperative for chartered accountants to stay up to date ‘because some of the clients take your word as gospel, without question. Society has a high regard for our profession. It is therefore incumbent upon us to validate and honour this privilege by keeping up to date with developments to ensure that the public trust in the profession is not misplaced.’
SAICA and the future of the profession
Mbebe praises SAICA for the new direction they are taking − the emphasis now is more on the need for CAs(SA) to be relevant and to evolve as the needs of the market unfold. The new competency framework seeks to ensure that SAICA produces entry-level CAs(SA) who can think critically and out of the box, and adapt with ease to the changing environment. There is more focus on balance between non-technical (critical thinking, business acumen, ethics and lifelong learning) and technical skills. One of the important competencies that has emerged is citizenship, which is described as the ability to display social conscience.
‘I would definitely encourage anyone to follow the profession; in fact, it’s the right time to join the profession,’ concludes Mbebe.
