Meet our #SAIPAproud member

Nomsa Mphigalale

Meet Nomsa Mphigalale, Finance Manager at SAIPA and passionately proud Professional Accountant (SA)

What attracted you to the accountancy profession?

I have always had a love for numbers, and I believe numbers narrate a story of our daily lives. Being in accounting gives me the ability to be part of decision-making processes and making a difference.

What inspires you about your work?

Being able to work within the engine of every business, the funds and looking after the assets of the organisation inspires me the most. To understand the hard work of the organisation which eventually converts into measurable results is very empowering.

Who inspires you, and why?

My late grandmother, even though she was illiterate, always encouraged me to study and become a better person in life. I wish she were still alive to witness her dreams that came true.

Tell us about your biggest challenge, and how you overcame it?

My biggest challenge is to work in an environment with other professional accountants. By keeping myself up to date by attending continuous professional development which SAIPA offers and reading a lot on financial news at different platforms have helped me greatly.

Tell us about the highlight of your journey as a professional in accountancy?

I qualified to become a Professional Accountant (SA) in 2016. This journey was a huge achievement in my life, one I am thankful for every day. I am part of a big family of professionals.

How enabling has your working environment been?

We are very blessed to have an organisation that embrace change. Recently SAIPA introduced various new systems, which makes it much easier to conduct the business of the day. The fact that most of the repetitive tasks are now performed by an automatic system gives us time to focus on providing services to our members.

What disappoints you about the profession? 

The lack of ethical behaviour by other professional accountants. The fact that professionals are undermining the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles is very disappointing.

What would you like to change?

To see a shift in the Accounting Profession, where accountants are eager to practise ethical behaviour and to always remember to do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Knowledge is power! I would like to expand my knowledge through training and educational opportunities to support my position at the organisation.

What is your vision for the profession?

I would like to see Accountants operate at different levels in the economy by being more active as decision makers, providing more advisory services which will complement their traditional services and lead to integrated solution services.