As the world changes and the accountancy and audit profession evolves to meet the rising new requirements, the role of the professionals in the space is constantly driven by fulfilling the needs of citizens. To drive discussions around topical issues in accountancy and auditing, in particular, within the public sector the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors (SAIGA) is announcing the First SAIGA Annual Conference, to be hosted virtually in 2021. SAIGA president Phillip Rakgwale said: “Hosting the annual conference is part of our vision 2023 strategy with a focus to strengthen capacity building in the public sector and expanding the Institute’s footprint in the rest of the African continent and globally.”
SAIGA will, for the first time, be hosting the annual conference with an aim to provide a platform for accounting and audit professionals to engage on various topics that are impacting the industry. The theme of this conference is “Citizens Come First”. This move by the Institute to host the first annual conference has been driven by the inputs from SAIGA members, who are Registered Government Auditor (RGA) professionals and who will inspire others to become RGAs within the accounting and auditing sphere in the public sector.
“The first conversations I had with the SAIGA Council when I joined in 2019 were around the fact that this great institution must have its own annual conference to ensure that the members engage in various topics which affect the profession,” said SAIGA CEO Russel Morena. “This annual event will bring professionals not only in South Africa but outside our borders together, with the sole purpose of contributing to solutions of capacity challenges and efficiencies within the public sector.”
The SAIGA Annual Conference will be hosted over two-and-a-half days, from 15 to 17 November 2021. The line-up of keynote speakers who are well versed in accountancy, auditing and other disciplines will be released at a later stage. SAIGA will award 30 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points to delegates who attend the entire conference. The cost to join the SAIGA Annual conference is as follows:
SAIGA Member – R1 300
Non-Member – R1 800
SAIGA Student Member – R300
Non-Member Full-time Student – R500
Members from professional bodies which have MoU with SAIGA are also eligible for the same discount offered to SAIGA members. In highlighting the importance of building impactful stakeholder relations, Morena said: “At SAIGA we understand the value of stakeholders, hence we offer members of our MoU partners exclusive benefits to our conference.”
SAIGA has various sponsorship, exhibition and advertising packages available at the conference, namely, headline sponsor, intermediate sponsor, and exhibitor only. SAIGA is offering a free exhibition option to its MoU partners. SAIGA has recently established regional structures following the election process of the regional committees in the Gauteng, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal regions during the month of February this year. The Eastern Cape region launch was hosted on 13 April 2021, while the Gauteng region will host its event on 10 May 2021. The Eastern Cape launch was graced by the presence of oversight heads within the province, including the Director-General of the Eastern Cape, Mbulelo Sogoni.
The Gauteng launch expects dignitaries such as the CEO of Safer South Africa Foundation General Riah Phiyega; Moira Malakalaka, Senior Manager at the Office Enablement and Support Services Office of the Tax Ombud; the Inspector-General of Intelligence, Professor Setlhomamaru Dintwe; and Kabelo Ncholo, CEO of Yourself Management and author of the book How I made my dream life with only R350.
About the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors
The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors is a nonprofit professional body that serves the public interest. Since its inception in 1988, the role and functions of SAIGA has been to serve the public sector and society by advancing public accountability and auditing in its widest sense. As a professional body, SAIGA represents a unique brand of professionals, the Registered Government Auditors (RGA) in the public sector and academia. The RGA is considered the highest professional designation within the public sector auditing. Visit: www.saiga.co.za for more information.
