At the same time, Public Service and Administration Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said that she would amend the law to make directors-general responsible for the level of skills in their departments.
"In response to this crisis, we at the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) are making it our business to help government overcome this challenge," said Navin Lalsab, accreditation, compliance and development executive of SAIPA. "We have a number of initiatives underway to help current finance department employees improve their skills and to improve the supply of suitably trained accountants to the public sector."
Lalsab explained that while the private sector typically uses International Financial Reporting Standards (IRFS), the public sector uses the Generally Recognised Accounting Practices (GRAP) standard. GRAP is issued by the Accounting Standards Board in terms of the Public Finance Management Act.
"GRAP was originally based on IFRS, but the two standards are starting to diverge in certain areas," Lalsab said. "Training in public sector accounting and GRAP is necessary to enhance the versatility of professional accountants."
In response, SAIPA is proposing to add a GRAP module to its Professional Accountant (SA) training curriculum. The thinking behind this approach is to give professional accountants even more career mobility, not to channel them in one specific direction.
"The public sector offers many career opportunities for accountants and it's also very worthwhile," Lalsab said. "We want to make our members aware of these opportunities and give them the skills they need to explore them."
SAIPA is currently piloting a project at the Gauteng Treasury, which seeks to improve the accounting skills of its staff. The Treasury has been accredited as a SAIPA training centre, and 19 employees are undergoing training under SAIPA supervision with a view to qualifying for the Professional Accountant (SA) designation. Lalsab believes that this model could be rolled out to other public entities who want to upgrade their existing skills.
"The Professional Accountant (SA) designation is well established in both the mid- and upper tiers of the accounting profession, and is backed by rigorous, dedicated training and ongoing professional development," said Lalsab. "We offer public sector finance staff a great way to upgrade their skills in line with the challenges of their jobs - and we hope to persuade many of our members to consider a career in the public sector as well."
