SIU teams up with NWU to train forensic accountants

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants’ (Saica) Thuthuka Education Upliftment Fund and North-West University (NWU) have signed a memorandum of understanding to produce a new generation of forensic accountants.

SIU senior manager of learning and development Enock Qoma said he was excited to witness such a transformative agreement.

Qoma said the purpose of the memorandum was not only to strengthen the capabilities of forensic accountants, but heeded the call of the president to give opportunities to young people to alleviate unemployment in the country.

“The memorandum addressed the need to tackle the imbalances in the country,” he said.

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Qoma said the memorandum would run for four years and offer three programmes, including an undergraduate programme, a postgraduate placement programme and a work-integrated learning programme.

“The first two programmes include the undergraduates and postgraduates who serve as pipeline channel pools for the SIU. The North-West University will now feed the SIU with the necessary skills,” he said.

Qoma said in the first year of implementation, 10 students in the first year of their studies will be enrolled through Saica’s Thuthuka Education Upliftment Fund.

“The postgraduate programme will ensure those students upon completion of the programme will join the SIU in the forensic accounting unit. There will be six of those a year,” he said.

He said the work-integrated learning programme will focus on capacitating SIU employees studying for a BCom and other forensic accounting qualifications.

The first student will be joining the new programme as early as next month. SIU head advocate Andy Mothibi said he was excited to sign the memorandum as it will see the enhancement of forensic accounting skills in the SIU.

“The corrupt and criminals out from time to time use sophisticated tools to commit crimes and use sophisticated methods to hide money that they corruptly acquired.

“We need to up the game,” he said. “We need to ensure we have the skills to analyse financial statements, balance sheets and income sheets to ensure we come to grips with the kinds of offences and corruption committed,” he said.

North-West University acting principal and vice-chancellor, Professor Linda du Plessis said: “Students are desperate for funding, not just tuition, but for books, technology and accommodation. That makes the signing of the memorandum so memorable,” she said.

“This will enable students to enter university where we can offer quality education they can take into the world, specifically for forensic accounting.

“They can continue this quest for social justice by fighting fraud and corruption.”