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Courageous Conversations

Courageous Conversations

Launched in 2017 as an advocacy initiative between SAICA and the Wiseman Nkuhlu Trust, Courageous Conversations creates a platform for engagement between the country’s thought leaders, experienced professionals and the public to find innovative but practical solutions to troublesome socio-economic issues affecting the chartered accountancy profession as well as the country.

SAICA runs three Courageous Conversations events each year where attendees will be challenged to create a national culture of critical thinking and solution creation.

Outcomes for 2022 events

15 September 2022: Leaderex SAICA Difference Makers Economic and Anti-Corruption Summit

Speakers:

  • Glenn Silverman
  • Shirley Machaba (PwC)
  • Adrian Gore (Discovery)
  • Mike Brown (Nedbank)
  • Faith Khanyile (WIB)
  • Babalwa Ngonyama (Sinayo)
  • Dr Natasha Winkler-Titus (SBS)
  • Ann Bernstein (CDE)
  • Cas Coovadia (BUSA)
  • Bonang Mohale (BLSA)
  • Dr Terence Nombembe (Zondo Commission)
  • Bongi Ngoma (AGSA)
  • Freeman Nomvalo (SAICA)
  • Andrew Canter (Futuregrowth)
  • Bonang Mohale (U4M)
  • Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu (KPMG)
  • Andrea Johnson (NPA)
  • Parmi Natesan (IoDSA)

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6 April 2022: The Untold Cost of Truth

Key outcome: SAICA is investigating the creation of a Whistleblower Insurance Fund.

Speakers:

  • Mandie Wentzel: MC
  • Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu: Chairman of KPMG SA
  • Mosilo Mothepu: Trillian whistleblower
  • Pauli van Wyk: VBS whistleblower
  • Athol Williams: Bain whistleblower

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Outcomes from 2021 events

21 September 2021: Overcoming South Africa’s built-in apathy about corruption

Key outcome: The Role of Small Businesses in the Creation of Employment Opportunities

Speakers:

  • Pauli van Wyk: MC
  • Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu: Chairman of KPMG SA
  • Freeman Nomvalo: SAICA CEO
  • Mlu Manci, CEO of Oteo Investment Holdings and the Executive Chairman of Grinaker-LTA Group
  • Khulekani Mathe, head of financial inclusion division at BASA
  • Cas Coovadia, Managing Director BUSA

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23 June 2021: Unite 4 Mzansi™ public launch

Key outcome: U4M launched to the public

Speakers:

  • Pauli van Wyk: MC
  • Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu: Chairman of KPMG SA
  • Freeman Nomvalo: SAICA CEO
  • Athol Williams: CEO Institute of Social & Corporate Ethics
  • Nina Callaghan: U4M researcher

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7 April 2021: Accountants must be accountable

Key outcome:

SAICA has put in place a Trainees and Transformation Action Plan to tackle the main issues raised in this discussion.

Speakers:

  1. Nicola Comninos: Group Chief Risk Officer of the JSE
  2. Nonkululeko Gobodo: Chief Executive Officer and Head of Leadership Consulting at Nkululeko Leadership Consulting and joint caretaker at the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA))
  3. Ajen Sita: CEO EY Africa

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2020 events

23 September 2020: What must change in the training environment of prospective CAs(SA)?

Key outcome:

SAICA has put in place a Trainees and Transformation Action Plan to tackle the main issues raised in this discussion.

Speakers:

  1. Nomathamsanqa Ashom: Managing Director at Ngubane & Co
  2. Setenkola Mudzudzani: newly qualified CA(SA)
  3. Thabiso Madiba: Senior lecturer at UKJ
  4. Taruna Naidoo: partner at PwC

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10 June 2020: Ensuring no aspiring CA(SA) is left behind

Key outcome:

Why maintaining the SAICA CAs(SA) pipeline is crucial for the SA economy and what SAICA is doing to ensure no aspiring CA(SA) is left behind during the COVID-19 crisis

Speakers:

  1. Sizwe Nxasana: Founder of Future Nations
  2. Ignatius Sehoole: CEO KPMG

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2019 events

1 October 2019: Does the SAICA Training Programme truly prepare CA(SA) in a way that will future proof the profession

Key outcome:

Identification of key opportunities for change within SAICA’s training environment – training contract reform

Speakers:

  1. Tashia Batstone: Senior Vice-President Chartered Professional Accountants Canada
  2. Tsakani Maluleke: Deputy Auditor-General
  3. Bonga Nyembe: Partner and Business Unit Leader – Gauteng Audit (Deloitte)
  4. Sphelele Khomo: Associate Professor and Head - College of Accounting (University of Cape Town)

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12 February 2019: What we need to do as a profession to stay relevant for the demands of the 21st century.

Key outcome:

Review international best practice regrading competencies for the 21st Century. Influenced and confirmed direction of SAICA’s CA of the Future/CA2025 initiative

Speakers:

  1. Brett Tromp, CFO of Discovery
  2. Ajen Sita, CEO of EY
  3. Allan-Knott Craig: CA(SA), South African entrepreneur and author
  4. Michael Izza, CEO of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

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2018 event

12 June 2018: Reflection on the state of the chartered accountancy profession – looking at how we got here and what we need to collectively do to correct the situation

Key outcome:

Advocating for SAICA Governance review which resulted through the GRTT establishment in 2018 and election of the new Board in 2019.

Speakers:

  1. Trevor Manuel: Former Finance Minister and Old Mutual Chairperson
  2. Tsakani Ratsela: Deputy Auditor-General
  3. Professor Linda de Beer;
  4. Helen Munter: the former director of the division of Registration and Inspections in the USA,
  5. Geoffrey Qhena: IDC CEO

View the highlights of event here:

2017 events

26 September 2017: What SA needs to do to get to double digit growth

Key outcome:

Interventions that can turn SA’s recent downgrade around – especially with regards to the broad range of economic, social, and political factors that constitute the creditworthiness of a country.

Speakers:

  1. Lesetja Kganyago: Governor of the South African Reserve Bank
  2. Mike Schussler: economist
  3. Aubrey Matshiqi: independent socio-economic and political analyst
  4. Rapelang Rabana: internationally lauded business woman and thought leader

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10 May 2017: SA’s downgrade to junk status and how the country’s leaders, led by the CA profession, can aid in the recovery of the economy

Key outcome:

Why the profession must influence policy change to aid the economy’s recovery

Speakers:

  1. Professor Nkuhlu
  2. Moeletsi Mbeki
  3. Annabel Bishop
  4. Sizwe Nxasana

View the highlights of event here:

ENCA interviews Dr Terence Nombembe about Courageous Conversations

Morning News Today – Highlights from Courageous Conversations event