An accountant works with money and numbers for people and businesses. In South Africa there are a few levels. The top one is the Chartered Accountant, CA(SA), given by SAICA. For that you do a three-year BCom Accounting degree, a one-year CTA, a three-year training contract, and board exams: about seven years. There are shorter routes too, like the Professional Accountant (SAIPA) and the bookkeeping route (ICB), which you can even start without a degree.
You must sign up with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) to do this work.
What does a accountant do?
Accountants work with money and numbers for people and businesses. In a day, you might record and check money coming in and out, prepare financial statements, do tax, give advice, and make sure the numbers are correct and legal. Chartered accountants also audit companies and advise on big decisions. It is careful, detailed work.
Where you can work
- Audit and accounting firms
- Companies (finance departments)
- Banks and financial services
- Government and SARS
- Your own practice
- Non-profit organisations
Kinds of this work
Is this job right for you?
This job is good for you if
- You are good with numbers and Maths
- You are careful and pay close attention to detail
- You are honest and can be trusted with money
- You are organised and meet deadlines
- You can follow rules and laws exactly
- You keep learning as tax and rules change
The hard parts
- The CA route is long and hard, with tough board exams
- Trainee accountants earn little during articles
- The work has deadlines and busy seasons
- It can be repetitive and desk-bound
- You carry responsibility for money and the law
How you can grow
Your job can get bigger over time. This is a common path.
- 1
Trainee accountant
You do your training contract (articles) at a firm.
- 2
Newly qualified accountant
You pass your board exams and register (CA(SA), PA(SA), and so on).
- 3
Senior accountant or manager
You lead work and other accountants.
- 4
Financial manager or partner
You run a finance team, or become a partner at a firm.
- 5
CFO or your own practice
You reach the top of a company's finance, or run your own firm.
Steps to become a accountant
- 1
Pass matric with strong pure Maths
The CA route needs pure Maths, often 60% or more. Accounting as a subject also helps.
- 2
Get into a SAICA-accredited BCom Accounting (3 years)
Make sure the degree is SAICA-accredited if you want the CA route.
- 3
Do your CTA or Honours (1 year)
This is the postgraduate year that the CA route needs.
- 4
Do a 3-year training contract (articles)
You work and train at a registered firm.
- 5
Pass the ITC and APC board exams
These are SAICA's two big professional exams.
- 6
Register as a CA(SA)
You register with SAICA and can use the CA(SA) title.
Questions people ask
Written and checked by the NavyBlue Editorial Team. Last updated 2026-07-15. Pay numbers are a guide only. Where we got this: SAICA (Chartered Accountants), SAIPA (Professional Accountants), ICB (bookkeepers)
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