The Faculty of Management Sciences, Department of Accounting and Auditing, joined forces with the International Audit firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on 11 May 2016 to raise awareness among accounting students regarding various unethical challenges that are currently faced in both the public and private sectors. The Business Ethics Awards is an annual event that has been hosted by both institutions since 2012. 

 

 Accounting and Auditing profession worldwide are placing a renewed emphasis on the importance of business ethics due to the diverse range of accounting services and recent corporate collapses. Business ethics IV (BNE 41 AB) is a compulsory module in all the BTech programs offered by the Department.  The acquired skills enable them to make informed decisions should they be faced with similar ethical dilemmas in their future workplace and assists them to have a better understanding and come up with solutions faced by societies at large. The final year BTech students are expected to integrate their theoretical knowledge with real life issues. This is to ensure that they learn to work in groups, think outside the box, track the South African media by reading the newspapers, learn good time management skills and debate dynamically amongst themselves in a safe learning environment.  Students chose topics related to issue about business ethics and then conducted extensive research and compiled a formal presentation where they debated and competed with the rest of other team members. [gallery ids="9989,9990,9991"] Of the 11 groups that participated in the competition, only three groups won. The third place winner went to Group C who debated on the Eastern Cape toilet scandal and each member received R500 cash voucher. The second place was awarded to the Dolphins group and their topic was based on the VW scandal. Each member received R700. The winners of the competition debated on Pension and Provident Fund and they were each presented with R1000. The overall best presenter went to Ms. Refiloe Juliano Matsela from the Eloquent group and her topic was on Nepotism. She also received R1000! PwC sponsored all prizes. The guest speaker and Senior Manager for PwC, Mr. Hjalmer Gerber said that as PwC, they are ecstatic to be associated with CUT and they intend to grow their five-year partnership to greater heights. He also urged the students to continue making the right choices as that, will take them far in this field. 

Images 

1: The overall best presenter: Refiloe Juliana Matsela from the Eloquent group presented on Nepotism. She is flanked by Mr Cassius Coetzee from PwC. 

2: The winners of the competition debated on Pension and Provident Fund and they each received with R1000 cash voucher. From left: Ms Nandi Lubbe , Lecturer in the department,  Mr Christo Hurter, Lecturer and acting Head of the Department,  Mr Cassius Coetzee (back centre) from PwC and Mr Hjalmer Gerber, guest speaker and Senior Manager at PwC.