New SAIPA Association for Eastern Cape North District

South African Institute of Professional Accountants
1 February 2019

The South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) has created a new North District association in the Eastern Cape. It incorporates the towns of Cradock, Queenstown, Middleburg, Hofmeyr and Somerset East. SAIPA Southern Region chairperson, Ian Ferreira-Massyn, says the initiative will benefit members in those towns and the surrounding areas. “It will especially help in terms of having to drive to the cities to attend training and networking events,” he says.

According to Zobuzwe Ngobese, Marketing and Communications Executive at SAIPA, the Institute strives to cater to the needs of its members outside urban areas. “We don’t want distance to be an obstacle so we’re enthusiastic about taking the SAIPA brand to them.”

The elected chairperson for the North District is Arlo Slabbert, a Professional Accountant (SA) and Senior Portfolio Manager at a Cradock-based accounting firm. Slabbert is assisted by three other committee members.

Localised CPD content
Every year, each Professional Accountant (SA) must accumulate a predefined number of continuous professional development (CPD) hours by attending SAIPA-approved informational events. “CPD and networking functions typically take place in PE or East London,” says Ferreira-Massyn. “For members in outlying areas, this can mean waking up at 4 am or driving home late at night, making it less appealing to participate. Now, they can attend local CPDs while forming bonds with accountants in neighbouring communities.” The committee plans to alternate CPD venues between Cradock and Queenstown, and possibly other towns.

Ferreira-Massyn says the district association welcomes unaffiliated accountants. “We invite them to join all our events, especially CPDs, against which they’ll earn points with their institutes. If we want to promote good ethics and fight corruption in South Africa, we must support each other.”

Content
The association will initially offer CPDs and regular member forums where local accountants can keep their skills updated, discuss problems and get acquainted with other practitioners. The committee will determine which other events are feasible based on identified needs and available resources. According to Ferreira-Massyn, CPD topics can now be tailored to the context within which the area’s accountants work. “For example, Cradock has a large farming community, so we can offer CPDs that consider accounting topics as they apply to agricultural operations,” he explains.

Outreach
The committee intends to drive SAIPA projects in the area. This includes approaching schools and tertiary education institutes to promote the SAIPA brand and explain the study and training path required to achieve the Institute’s Professional Accountant (SA) qualification. “We’ll also highlight other programmes like SAIPA’s National Accounting Olympiad, a competition for schools that’s designed to discover the top accountants of tomorrow,” says Ferreira-Massyn. Additionally, the committee will involve itself in corporate social responsibility initiatives, such as charities and school functions.

Information

SAIPA members can find district CPD events in their profile briefcase on the SAIPA website. These and other events also appear in weekly newsletters from the Regional Representative, Maritza Beer. Those who have queries can email her at mbeer@saipa.co.za. Ferreira-Massyn urges members to make sure their online contact details are up to date.

Want to find out more about SAIPA’s Eastern Cape North District Association?
We invite you to attend the following events:
Business Valuations CPD: 05 February (venue in Cradock)
Tax Update CPD: 15 March (venue in Queenstown)

To book or if you need more information, please contact Maritza Beer on mbeer@saipa.co.za or 066 306 4641.