General FAQs

Answer:

• Click on the link below and complete the S51 Manual – PAI Act- Access to information

Copies of exam scripts

• complete pages 8, 9 and 10 of the attached doc and return only these 3 pages to ITC@saica.co.za
• Just a reminder to complete section G on page 10 of the application form.
• We suggest something along the following lines for Section:

G.1. Indicate which right is to be exercised or protected: Suggested answer: Access to information G.2. Explain why the record requested is required for the exercise or protection of the aforementioned right: Suggested answer: I wish to determine where I went wrong In order to prepare for a future examination.

ITC Payment

• pay the prescribed fee of R230. Use your SAICA ID number as dep ref: ????? and forward POP to itc@saica.co.za

Nedbank Business Central Gauteng Universal branch code: 198 765 Account no: 1284 023230

APC Payment

• In accordance with the exam regulations you have two options in terms of access to information:
• Level 1 – prescribed fee R230.00 (incl VAT) • a copy of your script plus the breakdown of the level of competence you achieved, by task
• Level 2 – prescribed fee R2850.00 (incl VAT) • a personalised comprehensive report on your script by task.

• Payments can be made as follows:
  • Direct bank deposit
  • Electronic (internet) transfer using the banking details below: Nedbank Business Central Gauteng Branch no: 1284 0500 Account no: 1284 023230

NB: Within 4-5 days after receipt of your payment advice the scanned document will be emailed to you. (Level 2 reports can take up to 2 months)

Answer:

• Click on the link below and complete the application for duplication letter

Exam Results

• Send completed application for duplication letter to itc@saica.co.za OR apc@saica.co.za

Answer:

• Candidate to provide SAICA ID or ID number to ITC@saica.co.za
• Process from there – Exams Department will check if registration has been completed and payment has been paid (Proof of Payment to be sent if it has not been allocated or not showing on our bank statement).
• Once we confirm if candidate has made payment or payment arrangement has been made by the training office, the candidate is then loaded onto our PDF Mail Queue to be sent to them.
• If payment is not made, inform the candidate that admission letter will be sent out, once SAICA has received payment.
• The admission letters are sent out 3 times a day:
• 08h00
• 12h00
• 16h00

Answer:

Only written requests for substitutions will be considered. A request for substituting an individual for another must be submitted to SAICA in writing 24 hours before the date of the event. No late substitution requests will be accepted. Requests for substitution must be sent to the person whose name and contact detail appear on the Contact Details section. Non-members who substitute a member will be liable for the difference between the member event fee and non-member event fee.

Yes. Individuals who have booked for an event but failed to cancel, transfer or substitute a booking shall remain liable for the booking and as a result thereof forfeit the event fee.

Answer:

Should your statement reflect a credit balance, please send a request for a refund with a brief description of what resulted in the credit balance to debtors@saica.co.za with the following attachments:

Proof of payment of item you are requesting a refund for (should your refund be as a result of duplicate payment, please send proof of payment for both payments)

Official proof of banking details (E.g. bank statement, stamped letter from the bank, cancelled cheque etc.)

A copy of the statement that reflects the credit for which you are claiming the refund

Please note, that all refunds are paid back to the payee (as per the proof of payment), so any duplicate payments made by an employer will be refunded back to the employer and not the member.

Yes. Members of SAICA are responsible to ensure that SAICA is informed of all changes to address and contact detail. Should an invoice or statement not de delivered due to outdated details on SAICA’s system you are still liable for the late payment penalty.

Answer:

Yes. As SAICA issues invoices to members in their personal capacity, it remains the responsibility of each member to ensure that the membership fee is paid on time. If there is an agreement with an employer to pay the fee on the member’s behalf and the employer pays the fee late, the penalty is unfortunately still valid and payable to SAICA.

Answer:

All membership fee invoices are due on 1 January and are payable by 31 January each year. A 10% penalty is levied monthly from the end of February in respect of outstanding subscription fees, with a maximum penalty of 40%.

Answer:

When making a payment please ensure that you use your SAICA membership number as a reference in order to assist us in efficiently allocating your payment. Should you receive a statement and your payment is not reflecting, please send your query to debtors@saica.co.za with a copy of your proof of payment. As with all emails to SAICA please also ensure that you quote your SAICA membership number in your email, to assist us in retrieving your information.

Answer:

Please contact us on 08610 72422 in order to be directed to the relevant department that will assist you on further details of your invoice.

Answer:

You may forward your request for an invoice and statement to debtors@saica.co.za or call contact our on 08610 72422 and a PDF copy of your statement or invoice will be sent to you. Please ensure you quote your SAICA membership number in your request to assist us in retrieving your information.

For additional information on the Institute's complaints procedure and disciplinary process, or any other related matter, you can contact the following:

Lead: Member Discipline

Phuti Manamela

Email: discipline@saica.co.za

Tel:0116216724

A comprehensive set out documents are available on the website of the Institute. Please search for 'Disciplinary and complaints process'

Answer:

The Institute's complaints procedure and disciplinary process is based on the rules of justice. Though a disciplinary process is neither a civil nor a criminal process but a sui generis process, the processes followed satisfy the rules of justice in that they offer both the complainant and the accused the right to be heard and to present their case in a fair manner. In terms of the By-Laws, the PCC and/or DC has the discretion to order the publication of their findings. Publication of these Findings will be made in Accountancy SA.

The office of the DDO plays two crucial roles in the Institute's complaints procedure and disciplinary process. On the one hand, he or she has delegated authority from the Executive President of the Institute to administer, manage and co-ordinate the Institute's complaints procedure and disciplinary process, and on the other hand he or she fulfil the role of a committee secretariat for the PCC and the DC. Generally, he or she provides the necessary leadership and guidance to members and non-members on issues related to professional discipline.

The mission of the office of the DDO is to contribute towards the maintenance of the integrity of the accountancy profession, by fostering, nurturing and maintaining a culture of professional standards and integrity compliance amongst members through the:

• Effective policing of professional standards, ethics and integrity and where breaches have taken place, punishing, and
• Effective enforcement of disciplinary rules and processes

The Designated Disciplinary Officer can be reached either by:

• Email: discipline@saica.co.za
• Tel: 0116216724

Answer:

An accused is entitled to be represented at a disciplinary hearing including being represented by his or her attorney.

Answer:

After receiving a response to a complaint from the accused, the PCC shall be entitled to call upon the accused to appear before it to explain or elucidate, or discuss the matter, without prejudice to his or her rights. Only the PCC, not the accused, will be entitled to call for such a meeting and the accused will not be entitled to be represented at the meeting.

No, the findings of the PCC are final.

Answer:

If found guilty the person against whom a complaint was lodged will either be:

• Cautioned
• Reprimanded
• Fined
• Suspended from membership
• Struck-off from membership, or
• Disqualified from applying for membership

The following outlines the basic process of the Institute's complaints procedure and disciplinary process:

Upon receipt of a complaint, the Institute, through the office of the Designated Disciplinary Office, will first verify whether the person complained against is a member of SAICA, and if that person is a member of the Institute, consider the allegations. If there is a prima facie contravention of the By-Laws, the person against whom the complaint is lodged will be notified of the complaint and afforded twenty-one (21) days to respond to the complaint.

In certain instances the Institute may do away with the requirement that complainants should submit an affidavit.

If the period within which to respond lapses without a response being received, or if a response is procured but is not satisfactory, then the matter will be referred either to the Institute's Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) or the Disciplinary Committee (DC) (if the matter relates to a serious allegation of misconduct).

Where possible, SAICA shall, in its sole and absolute discretion, seek to apply alternative dispute resolution measures, such as mediation and/or arbitration. In the case of the latter, this will be in relation to training contracts between trainees and training officers in an effort to exhaust all possible avenues prior to putting matters through one of the committees that adjudicate over matters PCC or DC.

In terms of the By-Laws, a complaint must be a formal complaint in the form of an affidavit. All complaints must be lodged with The Lead: Member Discipline, either by:

Member portal: Lodging the Complaint on SAICA`s Website via Member Portal; or

Hand delivery: 8 Anslow Ln, Bryanston, Sandton, 2191

Answer:

In terms of the By-Laws, if a complaint relates to a member who is an RA, the complaint will be referred to the IRBA for investigation and resolution. On completion of the disciplinary process by the IRBA, where the IRBA imposes a sentence but does not involve the suspension or removal from the register of auditors, the Institute is obliged to accept the finding and sentence against such member. In the event that the IRBA suspends or removes a member from its register, the Institute will accept the finding of the IRBA but will determine its own sentence. Therefore, the disciplinary process against members of the Institute who are also RAs, will involve the Institute and the IRBA.

For more information on the regulation of RA’s visit the IRBA website at www.irba.co.za.

Answer:

There are instances where a member is both a CA(SA) and an RA. In these instances, SAICA will work with the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA) which exercises professional authority over RAs in accordance with the Auditing Profession Act 26 of 2005. In terms of the By-Laws, if, during the commission of an alleged offence, a member was registered both as a CA(SA) and an RA, and pursuant to receiving a complaint in respect of the member, the Institute is obliged to refer the complaint to the IRBA for investigation by the IRBA. This referral will then kick start a joint disciplinary process with the IRBA.

Answer:

Members are required to uphold prescribed standards of professional and ethical behaviour in their professional and business dealings. Any person, who has reason to believe that a member's conduct is improper is entitled and encouraged to lodge a complaint with the Institute regarding any alleged misconduct by a member of the Institute, such as:

• Breach of professional confidentiality
• Unethical conduct
• Conflict of interest or improper relationships
• Criminal convictions
• Excessive charging
• Unprofessional conduct
• Holding out as a CA(SA) while not in fact a CA(SA)
• Failure to uphold professional competence and due care in the performance of professional's duties
• Unauthorised advertising, or
• Breach of the Continuing Professional Development policy

This list is not exhaustive but is an indication of some of the alleged offences that can be reported to SAICA.
The Institute also exercises authority over accounting students registered with it to take the Institute's Qualifying Examination. These students are subject to the Institute's Qualifying Examination Regulations. Any alleged breach thereof shall be investigated by the Institute and dealt with in accordance with the By-Laws.
The Trainee Accountant and Training Officer relationship is also subject to the Institute's By-laws, in particular the Institute's Training Regulations.

Answer:

Any person, including members, can lodge a complaint against members of the Institute, or persons over whom the Institute has professional authority, or persons who purport to be members of the Institute but in fact are not. This means that you may lodge a complaint against a person who either is presently or at the time of the improper conduct held one of the following designations:

• Chartered Accountants (South Africa) with the designation CA(SA)
• Associate General Accountants South Africa with the designation AGA(SA)
• Trainee accountants; and
• Training officers

The Institute's power to discipline its members, associates and trainees is derived from the Constitution and the By-Laws. In the case of persons misrepresenting themselves as holding any of the above designations, the Institute will refer these incidents to the Commercial Crimes Unit of the South African Police Services as a contravention of the Chartered Accountants Designation (Private) Act 67 of 1993. The purpose of the Act is to permit, regulate and restrict the use of certain designations to Chartered Accountants. To this end, persons who purport to be CAs(SA), while in fact they are not, are guilty of a criminal offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R20 000.