Finance Indaba Network: Your interactive community throughout the year

Finance Indaba 2016: Tax Ombud offers taxpayers a resolution avenue

"When people receive a below-par standard of service from Sars, our office offers a free channel to air complaints," says Advocate Eric Mkhawane, CEO in the Office of the Tax Ombud, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Thousands vote in African FinTech Awards

Some 3,300 votes have already been received for the African FinTech Awards since the launch of the voting competition two weeks ago. At present, top-scoring companies include Wala (508 votes), Sureswipe (255), Wealthmigrate (217), Simplepay (204), Mobicred (178).

Finance Indaba interview: the rise & rise of Vusi Thembekwayo

Successful venture capitalist, celebrated businessman and popular international speaker, Vusi Thembekwayo’s impressive CV would make any professional proud. It’s hard to believe that Vusi, who grew up in Wattville township near Benoni, is only 31 years old.

Finance Indaba 2016: QuickBooks has businesses running more efficiently

"We want to show the accounting world and finance professionals is that QuickBooks as a brand and a product has the range available to satisfy the financial needs of start-ups, SMEs and growing businesses," says Nick Braxton, national sales manager of QuickBooks SA, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Finance Indaba Africa offering grows

What started as a simple idea to extend the learning and networking of the CFO South Africa community has reached a real tipping point with the recent addition of Oracle and SAP to the list of exceptional exhibitors that will be present at the Finance Indaba Africa, which will be held on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Gauteng.

CFO Case Study Competition announces top 12 teams

Out of the 320 teams representing 1,278 aspirants from 53 universities in 25 countries across five continents, the Project Board of the CFO Case Study Competition has announced the top 12 teams. Valentine Nti (pictured), the CFO Case Study Competition project executive director, said:

Finance Indaba 2016: AAT graduates easily turn theory into practice

“Our local government and public sector qualifications are based on competency frameworks of municipalities and the National Treasury. They are designed to fit the purpose exactly,” says Nadine Kater, GM of the South African chapter of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Finance Indaba 2016: SAIBA builds a community of committed professionals

"We see ourselves the gateway to the accounting profession," says Nicolaas van Wyk, CEO of the Southern African Institute for Business Accountants (SAIBA), a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Finance Indaba 2016: ACCA graduates mean business

"There is an undeniable need to introduce young people to entrepreneurship at an early stage and further ensure that they are equipped with the right skills from an education front," says Patience Semenya, head of the South African chapter of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a gold partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Finance Indaba 2016: Excel4apps powers up your reporting processes

"We make Excel the front end to your ERP (Oracle, SAP or PeopleSoft) and give you all the power of Excel plus more with our custom-built functions," says Shirley Riddick, MD of Excel4apps in the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. Excel4apps is a gold partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Finance Indaba 2016: CharterQuest CFO Case Study Competition draws the crowds

“Employers are seeking financial education that produces cutting edge and real world integrated technical, business and leadership acumen,” says Valentine Nti from CharterQuest, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. CharterQuest will host the global finals of the first ever CFO Case Study Competition at the Finance Indaba.

Finance Indaba 2016: Future-focused HR is Clarkhouse Human Capital's game

Finance Indaba 2016: Transparent aims to help firms recover funds

“We will be talking about how businesses can recover working capital, not only from eliminating double- and over-payments, but also from improving efficiencies and using our payment analysis reports,” says Carolina van der Ark from Transparent, a gold partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. In the coming weeks and months, we will be chatting to all the Indaba partners, asking them why they are joining the event and what their most important message for finance professionals is.

Finance Indaba 2016: Sage One explores how firms can use the cloud

"The future is mobile and we are giving our customers the power to control their businesses from the palm of their hand," says Steven Cohen from Sage One, a gold partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016 on 13 and 14 October 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. In the coming weeks and months, we will be chatting to all the Indaba partners, asking them why they are joining the event and what their most important message for finance professionals is.

Spectacular line-up of speakers at Finance Indaba Africa 2016

If you are a finance professional and you are wondering if there are any dates in your calendar that you should keep open, wonder no longer. The Finance Indaba Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre - on 13 and 14 October 2016 - will be the pivotal gathering for number crunchers, money wizards and finance leaders. Those dates might be far away still, but behind the scenes CFO South Africa is putting together a fantastic program - with a line-up of speakers that should entice any accountant to head over to Sandton.

Finance Indaba hosts finals of The CFO Case Study Competition

The cream of the crop of Africa's aspiring CFOs and business leaders will be competing for a prize of R100,000 during the global finals of The CFO Case Study Competition, hosted at the Finance Indaba Africa 2016. With entries for participants closing in March 2016, we spoke to Valentine Nti, CEO of organiser CharterQuest Institute about the way CFOs, corporate sponsors, professional bodies, universities and business talents of 25 years and younger can get involved.

Recruit the best CAs at the Finance Indaba Africa

Thousands of CAs and finance professionals are ready to move up the ladder. Join us at the Finance Indaba Africa and recruit the best.

Awesome accountants - find them at the Finance Indaba Africa

South Africa has an outstanding pool of professional accountants. Whether you're a small start up or a successful mid size business, you will need these professionals to help grow and guide your business. The best accountants formulate ideas to help you reach your true goals becoming genuine business partners. Finding the right accountant is easier than you think and you are invited to meet the very best at Finance Indaba Africa.

Better bank - select your bank at Finance Indaba Africa.

Customers of South African banks have high levels of complaints, with many people complaining about bad service. Opening a bank account is South Africa is time consuming. South African banks are amongst the most expensive in the world charging monthly fees, internet banking fees and commission on payments. But they are there: finance providers that go the extra mile. Select your bank at Finance Indaba Africa.

Cloud & Clear - select your cloud provider at Finance Indaba Africa

Cloud is no longer an unknown or risky business, but an essential technological innovation that is a game changer for African businesses. “Through cloud solutions we are enabling companies to design their back office efficiently and deliver innovation across the business,” said Dee Houchen or Oracle (a platinum Finance Indaba partner) in a recent interview. At the Finance Indaba Africa all cloud providers will be present, giving South African finance professionals an unparalleled opportunity to compare offerings and learn.

From Big Data to Big Profits - exhibit at the Finance Indaba Africa

Put your headlamps on and start mining big data! Success and profits of businesses are often the results of smart use of data and information. Lately, the opportunities to use the data that exists within your organisation has grown exponentially and executives and accountants are increasingly starting to realise that they are missing out if they are not mining big data.

Concern about upward trend in the debt-to-GDP ratio

Speaking at this year's Tax Indaba at the Sandton Convention Centre, the chief of the National Treasury’s Budget Office, Michael Sachs, said he was troubled by the upward trend in the debt-to-GDP ratio of 42.5%. While the figure itself was not sufficient cause to resort to emergency measures – it is still low in comparison to many other countries – the structural debt gap could lead South Africa into permanent low economic growth.

David Hartnett: systemic corruption has a detrimental effect on tax compliance

Corruption, more than any other factor, leads to an increase in tax avoidance and retarded economic growth. That was the message of David Hartnett, former permanent secretary of tax at the UK’s revenue and customs authority, at this year's Tax Indaba at the Sandton Convention Centre. “When there is a fair system, tax compliance and tax morality seem to be high. However, there is ample evidence that systemic corruption can do serious harm to tax morality,” he said.

Is a VAT rate increase needed? Judge Dennis Davis weighs in

Although VAT is the easiest of the taxes in the South African Revenue Service’s armoury to raise, it would have devastating effects on the country’s poor, according to Judge Dennis Davis.

Call for speakers now open - Finance Indaba 2016

In 2014 CFO South Africa piloted the CFO Awards, this year we launched a massive partnership with KPMG and next year is going to see the Sandton Convention Centre's doors open for the first ever Finance Indaba. "The difference between success and failure is often determined by the quality of the finance team and processes," says CFO South Africa's founding director Melle Eijckelhoff, who has a long track record of landmark finance events in Europe and is now working tirelessly to make the Finance Indaba a massive success.

Mervyn King: tax also in need of integrated thinking

Prof Mervyn King believes increasing taxes should be government’s last resort in bolstering the ailing economy. “Tax compliance is a two-way street. Taxation must be socially acceptable. The narrow financial prism is obsolete. The concept of value has changed, with economy, society and the environment now the central pillars of businesses,” Prof King told delegates last month at the fifth annual Tax Indaba at the Sandton Convention Centre.

South Africa's problem with illegal money transfers

Many South Africans worry about the country's high levels of crime; levels which, according to last week's release of the latest crime statistics, seem to be on the rise.

Tax Indaba: parliament looks at 'creative ways' to increase tax base

The Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance is looking at 'creative' ways to increase the tax base, including tyre and electricity levies, and is intensifying work on double taxation agreements and legislation, in the hope of discouraging multinationals from exploiting loopholes. That was the message of MP Des van Rooyen, chairman of the committee, during the recent Tax Indaba in Sandton.

Tax watchdog Bernard Ngoepe demands more independence

The Office of the Tax Ombud should become completely independent from SARS, according to Tax Ombud Bernard Ngoepe. The retired judge announced his demands in a keynote speech during the Tax Indaba at the Sandton Convention Centre on 7 September 2015.