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Pitso Zwane

Board Member

Driving Progress and Accountability through Accountancy

Transparency and trust are two of the most important qualities that Accountancy Professionals should have – this is, according to Pitso Zwane, the key that will unlock true progress in the Profession. And what will have a positive ripple effect on the social and economic fabric of South Africa.

“My hope for the profession is to see Professional Accountancy Organisations (PAOs), like our prestigious and auspicious SAIPA, become key drivers and protectors of public trust and confidence through reporting and high-quality assurance,” he says.

Zwane is a Board Member of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), and a committee member of their Digital Governance Committee of the Board. He is also a qualified Professional Accountant (SA) and Certified Fraud Examiner.

He currently works in public service, having held senior roles in the local, provincial, and now national spheres of government. “I have also advocated for the professionalisation of public servants as a key ingredient to properly serving the public,” he adds.

He is extremely passionate about driving innovation in the profession, as well as supporting the development of future Accountancy professionals. But he didn’t always dream of joining the profession.

“I wanted to be a legal practitioner when I was younger, but I used to stutter. I decided that clients will have less confidence in me and my abilities if their legal representative wasn’t articulate,” he laughs.

This led him to pursuing an IT Degree at North West University (Vaal Campus), but it wasn’t long before he migrated towards a Degree in Accounting and Finance after realising a hidden talent and passion for Accountancy-related subjects.

After graduation, he was offered an Articles position by one of the Big Four Audit firms but, surprisingly, opted instead for an internship at a Municipality. Here, he worked on a team that concluded an unqualified audit outcome for the first time in that Municipality.

This commitment to transparency and quality assurance has carried him through his career and informs his hopes for the profession at large.

“I want to see PAOs like SAIPA, through competent and digital savvy members, creating long-term value for small to large businesses, their respective stakeholders, and society at large. I wish to see Professional Accountants maximising the available tools for their own development as well as for the value-add to their client. When their client thrives, the social and economic status of society thrives too,” he concludes.