SAICA is one professional body that embarked on a transformation programme, resulting in a radical change in the demographic profile of the accounting profession. ‘Appropriately named Thuthuka (meaning “to develop” in Zulu), the programme which began in 2002, focuseS on skills development and accelerating the pipeline of African and Coloured chartered accountants who were significantly underrepresented in our profession,’ says Chantyl Mulder, Executive Director of SAICA’s Nation Building.
Today, Thuthuka continues to be a success.
When the Government established the HRDC in 2010, it tasked the council with meeting the National Development Plan (NDP) goal of ‘ensuring that skilled, technical, professional and managerial posts better reflect the country’s racial, gender and disability makeup’.
To this end, the then Deputy President of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe, in his capacity as Chairperson of the HRDC, advised other professions to implement a model similar to SAICA’s Thuthuka Programme in their respective fields. Motlanthe commended ‘the tremendous results Thuthuka had achieved in expanding access to the field of chartered accountancy.’ SAICA was then mandated to lead the way in transforming key professions with Chantyl Mulder, Executive Director of SAICA’s Nation Building department, appointed to chair the HRDC’s technical task team on production of professionals.
‘It was – and is still – our belief that industry representative organisations need to play a more active role in enabling individuals to enter the profession,’ says Mulder. According to the HRDC’s ongoing investigations, ‘there remains an urgent need to align the work of industry bodies with that of government departments, in addition, to allocating additional funding to further skills development priorities in certain professions.’
At this month’s 2nd HRDC 2016 Summit, the Council will show how far the country has come in this regard and highlight why strategic human resource development partnerships are the key to achieving this goal by 2030.
In doing so, it will highlight why ‘skills development is not a responsibility for government only but for a job for all social partners. If we want to develop the high-end professional skills to boost economic growth and create jobs across all sectors, we all have to collaborate and partner,’ says Mulder.
‘As SAICA we have also aligned our Nation Building strategic priorities to respond to this national imperative,’ Mulder concludes. ‘For this reason, SAICA will continue to collaborate with other professional bodies that have taken this transformation role to heart, such as the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and many more.’
The 2nd HRDC 2016 Summit takes place on 29 and 30 March 2016 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg. For more information about the Summit, go to www.hrdcsa.org.za.
ABOUT SAICA:
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), South Africa’s pre-eminent accountancy body, is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading accounting institutes. The Institute provides a wide range of support services to more than 40 000 members who are chartered accountants [CAs(SA)] and hold positions as CEOs, MDs, board directors, business owners, chief financial officers, auditors and leaders in their spheres of business operation. Most of these members operate in commerce and industry, and play a significant role in the nation’s highly dynamic business sector and economic development.
ABOUT THE THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND AND EDUCATION UPLIFTMENT PROJECT:
One of SAICA’s prime goals is to contribute towards strengthening the country’s economy by playing a significant and leading role in transformation and skills development. The Thuthuka Education Upliftment Project, a pioneering initiative to promote transformation in the profession, was launched in the Eastern Cape in 2002 and is fast growing into a national project.
Thuthuka’s objective is to transform the demographics of the profession to reflect those of the country in terms of race and gender, and provide educational support to African learners and students for the benefit of the profession, while simultaneously helping to uplift communities. Therefore, SAICA prides itself in leading the chartered accountancy profession as a socially responsible driver of business and skills development by supporting and encouraging enterprise development initiatives.
ABOUT THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (HRDC)
The Human Resource Development Council of South Africa (HRDC) is a national, multi-tiered and multi-stakeholder advisory body chaired by the Deputy President of South Africa. It is managed by the Minister of Higher Education and Training. It advises government on all HRD related matters. The multi-sectoral advisory HRDC was established in March 2010. Membership is based on a five-year tenure and is represented by a number of Cabinet Ministers as well as senior business leaders, organised labour and representatives from academia and civil society who serve on the HRD Council.
One of the Council’s key responsibilities is to build the human resource development base required to ensure a prosperous and inclusive South African society and economy. It focuses on the development of strategy and the creation of a platform where social partners can engage to find ways to address bottlenecks in the development of human resources and skills in South Africa. In essence, it must ensure that all relevant policies, programmes, projects, interventions and strategies are streamlined and optimised to support overall government objectives rather than merely sectoral imperatives.
SAICA and HRDC Media Contact
To this end, the then Deputy President of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe, in his capacity as Chairperson of the HRDC, advised other professions to implement a model similar to SAICA’s Thuthuka Programme in their respective fields. Motlanthe commended ‘the tremendous results Thuthuka had achieved in expanding access to the field of chartered accountancy.’ SAICA was then mandated to lead the way in transforming key professions with Chantyl Mulder, Executive Director of SAICA’s Nation Building department, appointed to chair the HRDC’s technical task team on production of professionals.
‘It was – and is still – our belief that industry representative organisations need to play a more active role in enabling individuals to enter the profession,’ says Mulder. According to the HRDC’s ongoing investigations, ‘there remains an urgent need to align the work of industry bodies with that of government departments, in addition, to allocating additional funding to further skills development priorities in certain professions.’
At this month’s 2nd HRDC 2016 Summit, the Council will show how far the country has come in this regard and highlight why strategic human resource development partnerships are the key to achieving this goal by 2030.
In doing so, it will highlight why ‘skills development is not a responsibility for government only but for a job for all social partners. If we want to develop the high-end professional skills to boost economic growth and create jobs across all sectors, we all have to collaborate and partner,’ says Mulder.
‘As SAICA we have also aligned our Nation Building strategic priorities to respond to this national imperative,’ Mulder concludes. ‘For this reason, SAICA will continue to collaborate with other professional bodies that have taken this transformation role to heart, such as the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and many more.’
The 2nd HRDC 2016 Summit takes place on 29 and 30 March 2016 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg. For more information about the Summit, go to www.hrdcsa.org.za.
ABOUT SAICA:
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), South Africa’s pre-eminent accountancy body, is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading accounting institutes. The Institute provides a wide range of support services to more than 40 000 members who are chartered accountants [CAs(SA)] and hold positions as CEOs, MDs, board directors, business owners, chief financial officers, auditors and leaders in their spheres of business operation. Most of these members operate in commerce and industry, and play a significant role in the nation’s highly dynamic business sector and economic development.
ABOUT THE THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND AND EDUCATION UPLIFTMENT PROJECT:
One of SAICA’s prime goals is to contribute towards strengthening the country’s economy by playing a significant and leading role in transformation and skills development. The Thuthuka Education Upliftment Project, a pioneering initiative to promote transformation in the profession, was launched in the Eastern Cape in 2002 and is fast growing into a national project.
Thuthuka’s objective is to transform the demographics of the profession to reflect those of the country in terms of race and gender, and provide educational support to African learners and students for the benefit of the profession, while simultaneously helping to uplift communities. Therefore, SAICA prides itself in leading the chartered accountancy profession as a socially responsible driver of business and skills development by supporting and encouraging enterprise development initiatives.
ABOUT THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (HRDC)
The Human Resource Development Council of South Africa (HRDC) is a national, multi-tiered and multi-stakeholder advisory body chaired by the Deputy President of South Africa. It is managed by the Minister of Higher Education and Training. It advises government on all HRD related matters. The multi-sectoral advisory HRDC was established in March 2010. Membership is based on a five-year tenure and is represented by a number of Cabinet Ministers as well as senior business leaders, organised labour and representatives from academia and civil society who serve on the HRD Council.
One of the Council’s key responsibilities is to build the human resource development base required to ensure a prosperous and inclusive South African society and economy. It focuses on the development of strategy and the creation of a platform where social partners can engage to find ways to address bottlenecks in the development of human resources and skills in South Africa. In essence, it must ensure that all relevant policies, programmes, projects, interventions and strategies are streamlined and optimised to support overall government objectives rather than merely sectoral imperatives.
SAICA and HRDC Media Contact
Project Manager: Marketing and Communications
SAICA Nation Building Division
Tel: 011 621 6913
Email: karini@saica.co.za
Ms Lineo Ramataboe
Programme Manager: Administration, Coordination and Communication
(HRDC Secretariat
Tel: 012 943 3188
Email: ramataboe.l@dhet.gov.za
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