Improved accounting for better government service delivery
25-JUN-09
Service delivery is a constitutionally mandated responsibility of government and is essential to create a society in which people are cared for and can live and prosper.
However, across the country, municipalities, provincial structures and even national government is wrestling with serious challenges in terms of the availability of the accounting skills necessary to ensure that resources are allocated and used to the best benefit of the people of South Africa.
Directly addressing this challenge, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs has launched a certification programme which is designed to boost accounting skills within government departments to improve financial management and reporting.
The certification is being introduced in conjunction with the Association of Accounting Technicians South Africa [AAT (SA)] and the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority.
AAT (SA) is a professional body dedicated to learning, development, regulation and support for accounting technicians.
It offers qualifications designed to enhance the skills of those who operate, maintain and improve systems to record, plan, monitor and report on the financial activities of an organisation.
Natalie Zimmelman, business development manager of AAT (SA), says the certification is a powerful step in the right direction for government organisations looking to make good on promises of improved governance and accelerated service delivery.
“By providing training and development for accounting technicians, departments at all levels of government are equipped to combat incidents of corruption like those outlined recently by the auditor general and reported in the Sunday Times,” she says.
Zimmelman observes that the shortage of accounting skills is not a problem faced by government alone, but is faced by the private sector too; recent research conducted by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) highlighted a skills shortage of over 16 000 vacancies existing for NQF level 3 to 6 accountants in business and government inclusive of both the financial and non-financial services sector.
As a result, Zimmelman explains that SAICA entered into a partnership with the UK-based AAT to provide a ladder of opportunity for individuals to help nurture the backbone of the finance function.
“It is the aim of AAT (SA) to create a new benchmark for the accountancy profession and to meet a crucial skill shortage in South Africa in the private and public sectors,” she notes.
While skills development initiatives are often focused on the management level, Zimmelman explains that this certification is specifically targeted at accounting technicians – those who work with data and figures at the coal face.
“The reality is that you cannot rely on senior management to make all the changes. Those individuals working at subordinate levels must have the right skills and competence to deliver accurate and timely information on which management can act.”
She says the local government certification programme is also being rolled out in municipalities in Gauteng.
Chantyl Mulder, Senior Executive for Transformation and Growth at SAICA and Director of AAT(SA), says they are pleased to be collaborating with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs to improve fiscal discipline and, ultimately, service delivery.
“There is a shortage of competent staff to run the finance function in any SA organisation. The AAT course is geared to create work-ready individuals, with a focus on the concept of competence; not only should individuals be able to do their work, but they should be able to do it well.
"With this course, we believe a cost effective way of achieving sustainable capacity development is being delivered within an accessible and progressive framework for developing people of all backgrounds through SAQA-accredited qualifications," Mulder concludes.
"While the concept of online accounting is fairly new (in South Africa), international trends show that the ability to make quick decisions based on relevant and up-to-the-minute financial data can give companies significant competitive advantage," writes Marnus Coetzee.
To address the skills shortage, SAICA recently entered into a partnership with the UK-based international professional body AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) to form AAT(SA).
ACCA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ABVA - establishing a partnership between the accounting and auditing sector and BEE verficiation. "ACCA’s qualifications are a perfect fit in terms of the way in which their auditors function, and the way in which their national verification agents are structured," explains Cindy Parvess.
