Strengthening the Accounting and Audit Profession: UJ Launches Wiseman Nkuhlu Centre

This article will count 0.25 units (15 minutes) of unverifiable CPD. Remember to log these units under your membership profile.

The Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA) has welcomed the launch of the University of Johannesburg’s Wiseman Nkuhlu Centre for Innovation, Thought Leadership and Governance (WNCIG), officially established within UJ’s School of Accounting on 6 February 2026. The Centre aims to advance ethical leadership, governance, and sustainability in the accounting and auditing professions.

The Centre’s first research project will focus on a critical issue: the societal role and value of auditing, with specific attention to the declining number of Registered Auditors (RAs) in South Africa. This aligns directly with IRBA’s newly adopted Auditor Pipeline Strategy, which prioritises strengthening the pipeline of future auditors in collaboration with accredited professional bodies such as SAICA and ACCA.

IRBA CEO, Imre Nagy emphasised that while progress has been made in restoring trust and improving audit quality, pipeline barriers, attractiveness, and retention challenges remain a national concern. Independent, evidence-based research by the Centre is expected to identify root causes and inform targeted policy and regulatory reforms.

For business accountants, this development signals a renewed national focus on strengthening reporting quality, rebuilding public trust, and addressing sustainability challenges in the profession. The Centre’s research could influence future policy, education pathways, and regulatory reforms that shape the broader accounting and audit environment in South Africa.

Read the Media Release here.