Desmond Msomi - putting black accountants on the map

Accountancy SA, Aug 2001 by de Villiers, Gaye

Putting black accountants on the map

Desmond Msomi, last year's chairman of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) branch of the Association of Black Accountants of South Africa (ABASA), was recently elected the first black African president of the eastern region of the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).

A partner at Ngubane & Co, a Durban firm of chartered accountants, Msomi says both SAICA and ABASA have important roles to play in assisting aspiring black accountants to enter the profession.

"Ultimately we both have the same vision - which is to ensure the profession reflects the demographics of the country - and there's a high degree of co-operation between the two organisations as well as cross representation on the committees of both. SAICA's national executive president, Ignatius Sehoole, also serves on the board of ABASA.

"Now that SAICA is fully involved in career guidance -- originally an ABASA function -- our accountancy development officers are doing an excellent job in all regions, not only in creating a greater awareness of accountancy career opportunities at learner level, but also in ensuring that black trainee accountants are engaged by accountancy firms.

"Here in KwaZulu-Natal SAICA played a pioneering role in launching a 'rescue' programme some years ago, to assist those trainees who have failed their fourth year of study by providing them with an opportunity to study full-time and also receiving additional tutorials and guidance from the National School of Accounting. This means we won't lose them from the system, and with mentoring and encouragement, they too can qualify as CAs."

Last year, SAICA's Teacher Enrichment Programme in KZN alone saw 133 accounting, maths and career guidance teachers from previously disadvantaged schools around the province successfully complete the course, which aims to upgrade teacher skills and help develop young black accountants. In addition, SAICA enjoys a mutually beneficial working relationship, in furthering accountancy as a profession, with the Department of Education and the Technikon Natal.

Msomi says SAICA has made good progress in recent years and is on track in terms of achieving its target numbers of black CAs. "I believe our targets are achievable, which means that by the year 2005 there will be 3 000 black chartered accountants in South Africa.

"There's no doubt it's becoming easier for black learners to enter the profession. Here at Ngubane & Co, where we have 12 black trainee accountants, we understand the problems they face. It's alsc true to say that more and more of the larger, white-managed accounting firms are taking responsibility to admit more black trainee accountants and appoint black partners to their businesses.

"This year my focus as president of SAICA in KZN is not only on forging ahead with current projects - particularly in the further outlying areas near Pietermaritzburg, Ladysmith and down the south coast but also on ensuring that the profession upholds the same values of high ethics and competence as we endeavour to keep pace with the changes brought about through increasing globalisation and IT developments.

"Many challenges face today's chartered accountant, who today requires not only accounting skills but also those associated with the broader fields of marketing, management and even HR issues.

"When I recently addressed our intake of newly qualified CAs as SAICA members, I tried to convey to them the fact that their learning has only just begun, and that it's up to each and every one of them to help develop not only themselves, but the profession as well. One of the main reasons I enjoy living in Inanda, instead of moving closer to the city, is that I can still touch base with young people, who see me as a role model, and hopefully influence more of them to take up accountancy as a career.

"SAICA encourages CAs from private businesses, the public sector and auditing firms to become involved on its committees, either co-opted or as members. While there's unfortunately still a shortage of accountants in South Africa, we have an important role to play to ensure that the culture of accountability, transparency and corporate governance is entrenched." ASA

Gaye de Villers is a Director of De Villers and Associates PR Company.