Accounting academics and industry leaders came together for the 2026 Southern African Accounting Association (SAAA) KwaZulu Natal Regional Conference.
Held under the theme ‘Accounting Horizons: Integrating Practice, Research and Education for a Changing World’, the conference examined where the accounting profession is headed and whether higher education is preparing graduates for its future demands.
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The Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) Department of Auditing and Taxation, part of its Faculty of Accounting and Informatics (FAI), hosted the event in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu Natal, University of Zululand and Mangosuthu University of Technology.
The gathering provided emerging researchers with an opportunity to present their work, receive feedback, and engage with academics, professional bodies and industry partners.
Anne Soldat, deputy chairperson of the SAAA KwaZulu Natal Regional Committee, opened proceedings. She stressed the importance of a supportive environment for first-time presenters.
FAI deputy dean Professor Simangele Moyane delivered DUT’s welcome address. She spoke about how the accounting profession is changing and the role research plays in that shift.
She added: “The world of accounting is changing, and technology and artificial intelligence are changing the way we work. The question is whether we will lead that change or simply account for what has already changed.”
Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority chief financial officer Lebogang Matlala delivered the keynote address focusing on future readiness, professionalisation and transformation within the accounting and finance sector.
She pointed to automation, data analytics and AI as key forces reshaping accounting and auditing work.
Employers, she added, are now seeking broader skills from graduates than before. Matlala also called for stronger links between higher education and the workplace.
