Historical background

The training of Business Accountants dates back to 1961.During 1967 the Technicons initiated the National Diploma in Cost and management Accounting. Despite this, business accountants could not find a home in a truly Southern Africa for southern Africa until 14 October 1987. Appropiate academic training and relevant practical experience are the only criteria for admission of members.

Main objective of the institute

• The identification and elimination of the functions and field of interests of the business accountant
• The training of the business accountant
• Extending the role of the Business Accountant
• The protection of the interests of the Business Accountant
• Academic and practical requirements
• The training of Business Accountants is divided into two sections:
  • Academic training and the obtaining of an recognized tertiary qualification obtained from a recognized tertiary institution with the following subjects:
    • Business and management accountants
    • Financial accounting
    • Informatics
    • Income Tax
    • Ancillary Subjects
    • Business Economics
    • Business ethnics
    • Economics
  • Appropriate practical experience which must comply with the strandards set by the board of the SAIBA including:
    • Knowledge and insight
    • Application
    • Analsyes and synthesis
    • Evaluation

Getting to know the Southern African Institute for Business Accountants: SAIBA

SAIBA, an accredited professional institute in South Africa and Namibia, has grasped the opportunity in the continuous changing accounting landscape to create awareness in the Southern African business society of the vital role of a Business Accountant.

Recognising the roles of all finance professionals, SAIBA’s aim is to “re-balance’ the accounting profession by returning the focus on creative Business Accountants and not creative Accounting.

Adhering to the highest ethical business standards, SAIBA is committed to protect business and society by assuring that Business Accountants and other Finance Professionals are ethically sound and appropriately qualified.

SAIBA, in association with the Institute of Management Accountants of America (IMA), has developed a new and dynamic strategy to be recognised internationally for creativity, excellence, focussing on the vital link between financial and non-financial components of any organisation and creating a value- driven organisational culture that provides a home of expertise for the rich diversity of Southern African Business Accountants.