3 minute read
Letter from the President
by kwedamedia
As SAIGA President, I’d like to wish every member and stakeholders well wishes for 2024. We begin the year by looking in the rear mirror. One of the proud moments was the turnaround of PSAAA through its new board and leadership they managed to close on a positive note, by ensuring that we continue to capacitate the public sector to ensure accountability is upheld in the prudent management of public financial resources.
Some of the achievements being:
• The repositioning of the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors (SAIGA) to focus on both auditing and accounting disciplines within the public sector through our recent discussions with CIPFA on possible collaboration.
• The SAIGA new competency framework is the first framework in the public sector for finance professionals in an effort to professionalise the public sector.
• The Institute has registered the public sector auditor qualification at the NQF 8 level, the first of its kind in the public sector both locally and globally. QCTO has accredited PSAAA to offer the qualification as a training provider.
• Building capacity within the broader public sector environment and expanding the Institute’s presence within the SADC region, in Eswatini and Lesotho to name a few.
• SAIGA has achieved the goal of being a global institution, recognised on the international stage through collaborations with PAFA and API.
• In terms of our publications, our academic research journal, SAJAAR has reached almost 195 countries, read by 1458 readers per month and at least 70 subscribers per month.
• We have reintroduced the Auditing SA Journal/ Magazine, which covers topical content including technical research relating to the public sector, specifically auditing and finance. The journal has attracted the attention of the public sector and to date we have an agreement with the government communication agency.
• We have accredited universities in terms of the public finance programmes and to offer our public auditor qualification.
• The association has also given our trainees options by accrediting numerous audit businesses to host the SAIGA trainees.
• The accreditation process with the Independent Regularity body of Auditors (IRBA) is at an advanced stage with submission in due course.
• Forming the Certified Forensic Accountant qualification (collaboration of 10 professional institutions)
• Being accepted into the Anti-Intimidation and Ethical Practices Forum (AEPF)
• Being accepted into the Public Sector Audit & Risk Forum
• Fasset funding and LGSETA for the next three years to host trainees across the nine provinces and the sectors.
• Collaboration of University of Bakircay on various programmes and research.
We are now part of the accounting quality advisory board of the Pan- African Federation of Accountants (PAFA), which is the continental arm of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the international body responsible for setting accounting.
We will continue building strategic partnerships that will position SAIGA as the preferred professional body to serve the public interest through our MOU Partners.
We will continue to build capacity within the broader public sector environment and expanding the Institute’s presence within the SADC region. SAIGA has multiple relationship across Africa through its relationship with PAFA, Afrosai, INTOSAI and recently the African Diplomatic Community.
In order for SAIGA to serve as a platform for the development of public sector financial management capacity throughout Africa, we have launched the African Professionalisation Initiative programme in collaboration with Afrosai. Through this initiative, we are training public sector personnel, such as the staff of the Auditor General, and finance professionals throughout the continent.
And finally, we are thrilled about our partnership with CIPFA, which will provide our members and our partners with excellent mobility options for capacity building.
SAIGA President
