SAICA

The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) is the professional body responsible for training, developing, and regulating Chartered Accountants in South Africa. It sets the qualification standards CA(SA) candidates must meet, accredits the university programmes that lead to the designation, and represents the profession's interests nationally and internationally.

SAICA created the Thuthuka Bursary Fund in 2005 specifically to address the shortage of Black African and Coloured Chartered Accountants in South Africa, recognising that financial barriers, not talent, were keeping many capable students out of the profession. Rather than just paying tuition, Thuthuka wraps funding in mentoring, academic support, and access to a professional network.

Because SAICA sits at the centre of the accounting profession rather than being a single employer, Thuthuka bursars aren't bound to work for any specific firm afterward - the programme is about growing the profession as a whole, not building one company's talent pipeline.