Author: Carmel Roberts – Institutional Advancement
The South African Institute of Chartered (SAICA) has recently reported a significant shortage of Black Chartered Accountants (CAs) in South Africa. As of 2024, SAICA indicated that 8% of the total qualified CAs in the country are black. This shortage reflects systemic barriers such as financial limitations, unequal access to quality education, and a lack of professional role models.
To address this imbalance, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) has partnered with SAICA to improve access to accounting education for historically disadvantaged groups. The partnership has seen the establishment of programmes such as the SAICA Business Games and financial literacy workshops, focusing on building skills and interest in accountancy among black and coloured learners, creating a pipeline for future black CAs. The games are played using the Commercium board game, which sees participating schools competing against each other as their learners navigate real-world business situations to make the most money for their businesses.
SAICA’s Project Manager of Nation Building, Betty Abrahams, said these projects are crucial in showcasing career opportunities for learners.
“The Business Development Game is aimed at educating learners about the world of business and finance in a fun educational manner and to unleash learner’s ability to work with complex mathematical and accounting systems, leadership skills, financial ability, entrepreneurial skills, and to take strategic business decisions,” said Abrahams who explained that SAICA also runs programmes at several schools.
The Commercium business game is already used at various tertiary institutions in South Africa. Jaco Fouché, a Chartered Accountant and Senior Lecturer at the University of North West, which introduced the game, said it is tailor-made for school learners.
Head of Accounting at UWC, Bonita Raymond, said, “ UWC remains committed as a tertiary institution that provides opportunities and access to the youth of South Africa. We look forward to this annual event, as it allows learners to engage in business activities and decision-making. We thank SAICA for creating this space and showcasing the Chartered Accounting Profession to the learners.”
Learners in grades 10 and 11 participated in the games held at UWC and were seen actively engaging in and learning about the world of finance through playing them.
Muizenberg High School learner, Amba Ngoy has a keen interest in accounting and plans to make a career out of it.
“I want to pursue a career as a Chartered Accountant; the Business Games allow me to grow and meet people. We learn so much through the game, which makes it different and fun. So far, my group is winning, and we are gaining more shares, and that’s fantastic,” said the 16-year-old.
Caption: Muizenberg High School learner, 16-year-old Amba Ngoy, has a keen interest in accounting and plans to make a career out of it.
Other universities that have partnered with SAICA include Fort Hare University, Rhodes University, the University of Witwatersrand, Walter Sisulu University, Nelson Mandela University, the University of Cape Town, and Stellenbosch University
