Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
03 August 2023 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
ABASA 2023
This year, ABASA hosted the sixth annual Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu lecture at the UFS. Attending the event were, from the left: Ayanda Mafuleka, the CEO of FASSET; Linda Maqoma, the current President of ABASA; Tantaswa Fubu, speaker at the event, past president of ABASA, and CEO of Great Well; back: Prof Frans Prinsloo, the Head of the School of Accountancy; Prof Phillipe Burger, the Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences; and Dr Molapo Qhobela, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact.

This year, the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa (ABASA), in partnership with the Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET), hosted the sixth annual Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu lecture in the Equitas Auditorium on the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus in the form of a hybrid event.

This gave effect to the wish of Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu, the first black chartered accountant in South Africa, to have the event in Bloemfontein to strengthen his relationship with the UFS School of Accountancy

The lecture, delivered by Tantaswa Fubu, ABASA past president and CEO of Great Well, was titled: The Value of Accountants Reimagined. 

Supporting societal transformation

In welcoming delegates to the UFS, Dr Molapo Qhobela, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact, stated that higher education has several related purposes, including contributing to and supporting the process of societal transformation. According to him, universities exist, among others, to contribute to the socialisation of enlightened, responsible, and constructively critical citizens. “We must encourage in our graduates the new development of a reflective capacity and a willingness to review and renew prevailing ideas,” he said.

Prof Frans Prinsloo, Head of the School of Accountancy, was delighted to welcome the leadership representatives from several of the professional bodies that accredit the academic programmes of the school. These include the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), which accredits the BCom (Acc), and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), which accredits the BAcc programme for CA(SA) purposes, and the BCom (Acc) for AGA(SA) purposes.

“We value our relationship with ABASA, as we can tap into a network of successful but diverse accountancy professionals who can serve as role models and mentors to our students, preparing them to be responsible professional accountants who contribute to the development of the South African economy,” said Prof Prinsloo. 

A group of roughly 200 delegates attended the event, including Nonkuleleko Gobodo, the first black woman to qualify as a Chartered Accountant (SA); Linda Maqoma, the President of ABASA; Sibusiso Nduna, ABASA’s Business Forum Chairperson; Ayanda Mafuleka, the CEO of FASSET; Bonga Mokoena, CEO of BDO; Emma Mashilwane, co-founder and CEO of MASA Risk Advisory Services; staff and students of the UFS; Tariro Mutizwa from CIMA; Robert Zwane from SAICA; Portia Mkhabela from ACCA; Moses Hlongoane from the UNISA College of Accounting Sciences; Faith Ngwenya from SAIPA; as well as leadership representatives from the Free State Provincial Treasury, KPMG, and SAPRO.

Maqoma, speaking on behalf of ABASA, said this list of attendees shows the power of ABASA to convene industry leaders in one room for a common cause – the advancement of black accountants in South Africa. “It is not only about the names and the titles, but the impact that ABASA has in convening and in making change through the influence of everybody who has partnered with them over the 38 years of the organisation,” she said. 

She added that to be the 17th president of ABASA is an absolute honour, but to be the fifth woman president means more. “It is a testament to what transformation means to ABASA. We are leaders in the transformation – we have not only delivered in the racial transformation, but also gender transformation and we are making sure that women’s voices are heard, women's leadership is respected, and is given a platform to lead.” 

Courage over comfort

In her opening remarks, Fubu stated, “If we want to live as significant a life as that of Prof Nkuhlu, we need to take pages from his book. She believes he was a pathfinder who shaped the field of accountancy in South Africa to what it is today. 

“If we can embrace qualities such as grace, humility, excellence, sacrifice, courage, care, Ubuntu, and many more, why not shape our lives around this inspiring role model we have? Reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, he believed that we were created in God’s image and that we have a role to fulfil as the son and daughter of God on earth,” said Fubu. 

According to her, the moral decay of South Africa is evident for everyone to see. There is something fundamentally wrong and we need to address how it can be reversed, she noted.

“As accountants, we lost our voice when facing a leadership that seeks to self-enrich. When did we become cowards, selling our souls to the highest bidder? We are not here to win the Mr/Ms Congeniality contest,” Fubu remarked. 

She commented that the profession must refuse to sit with narcissistic leaders who misuse their power, which should be used to serve others instead.

“The problem is with leaders who don’t call out other leaders for their reckless behaviour in leading.” Fubu, however, continued, stating the importance of introspection instead of blaming others. “We must look within to understand our contribution to the status quo.”

“Remember, the call to leadership is always choosing courage over comfort. Due to our cowardice, we have not challenged the rot of society. In this country, we have democratised shamelessness and corruption. We do and say absolutely nothing. Hopelessness is fast becoming part of our DNA. When people lose hope, they accept their fate and lose the ability to fight for a better life. We must infuse hope into every citizen. As accountants, we should be instrumental in delivering a better future for South Africa,” she said.

Fubu urged the accounting profession to remain true to Prof Nkuhlu's legacy and to lead with impeccable values, responding to the needs of people. This approach will enable people to thrive and aid in eradicating poverty and building a South Africa that cares for its young.

She challenged everyone, stating that there are many potential Prof Wiseman Nkuhlus in the audience. “But we need to break with fear, self-preservation, and cowardice. We need to rise and be the best we can be,” Fubu stated.

In a video message, Prof Nkuhlu left dignitaries with food for thought, stating that as accountancy professionals, it is necessary to pause from time to time and reimagine the relevance and contribution we have made. He highlighted, “We must establish if we are the difference makers we aspire to be.”

News Archive

Record number of students to graduate at UFS
2017-06-19

Description: Day 2 Mid-year Graduation Bloemfontein Campus Tags: Day 2 Mid-year Graduation Bloemfontein Campus

Eleven graduation ceremonies will form part of the
mid-year graduation ceremonies at the
University of the Free State.
Photo: Charl Devenish

Livestream of Graduation Ceremonies

Six days, eleven ceremonies, and more than 5 000 degrees. This all forms part of what is the biggest set of graduation ceremonies in the history of the University of the Free State (UFS).

The mid-year graduation ceremonies, taking place from 19 to 26 June 2017 in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus, will see the most students graduate during a week. A total of 5 258 degrees, which includes 460 master’s and doctoral degrees, will be conferred – including 72 doctoral degrees.

First graduation ceremonies for Prof Petersen
It will also be the first ceremonies that Prof Francis Petersen, new Rector and Vice-Chancellor, attends on the Bloemfontein Campus. Students from all seven faculties, as well as the South Campus, will graduate.

Graduates per faculty are (without master’s and doctoral degrees): Faculty of Education (488), Faculty of Health Sciences (345), Faculty of Theology (29), Faculty of Law (686), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (1 029), Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (1 044), Faculty of the Humanities (826), and the South Campus (354).

Guest speakers include three judges
Guest speakers for the ceremonies include Dipiloane Phutsisi, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Motheo TVET College in the Free State, Dr Susan Vosloo, UFS Council member and founder member of the World Society for Paediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, and Prof Petersen.

Three judges will also act as speakers. They are Justice Ian van der Merwe, Judge of Appeal at the Supreme Court of Appeal and former Chair of the UFS Council, Justice Mahube Molemela, Judge President of the Free State Division of the High Court and Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of South Africa, and Justice Connie Mocumie, Judge of Appeal at the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Graduations ceremonies:

19 June 2017:
09:00: Faculty of Education, except educational qualifications in Open Distance Learning –  South Campus
14:30: Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Theology and Faculty of Law (including the School of Financial Planning Law)

20 June 2017:
09:00: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: All Bachelor’s degrees
14:30: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: All Diplomas and Bachelor Honours degrees

21 June 2017:
09:00: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: All Certificates, Diplomas, Bachelor’s degrees and Bachelor Honours degrees, excluding BCom degrees
14:30: Faculty of the Humanities: Social Sciences and Communication Sciences only

22 June 2017:
09:00: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: BCom degrees only
14:30: Faculty of the Humanities: All qualifications except Social Sciences and Communication Sciences

23 June 2017:
14:30: Educational qualifications in Open Distance Learning – South Campus

26 June 2017:
09:00: All faculties except the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: Master’s and Doctoral degrees
14:30: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: Master’s and Doctoral degrees


We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept