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1. Accounting Officer 

 A qualification gets you in the door. A designation keeps you in the game — and makes sure people pay you what you’re worth. 

2. Explainer Video (top of page) 

  • 1–3 min video from a staff member or subject expert explaining: 

  • What the topic is 

  • Why members should care 

  • How it connects to their work, compliance, or earning power 

3. What You Need to Know (Definition & context) 

Being an Accounting Officer means you’re recognised in South African law to issue specific financial reports for entities like close corporations, schools, trusts, and even B-BBEE certificates. An Accounting Officer is not an auditor. You will not give an opinion — you're confirming factual alignment of the financial report with records.

Your clients may not know what this means. They just want the “paper” for SARS or CIPC. But you need to understand that each signature carries liability. That’s why CIBA provides a professional you with a framework to help BAP(SA)s perform these reports correctly — based on ISRS 4400 standards.

Example: When doing the AO report for a Close Corporation, you check whether the AFS agrees with the books, whether the accounting policies are fit for purpose, and if there's a breach of the Act. That’s it. No audit. No review. Just facts. 

4. Why It Matters to You (Impact section) 

  • Turn reports into recurring revenue CCs, nonprofits, schools, and small firms all need AO reports.

  • Stay legally covered and within your legal scope to avoid getting sued or investigated

  • Position yourself as a compliance pro so your clients start trusting your authority and advice more.

  • Save time with a clear framework to reduce additional work with CIBA templates and training.

  • Avoid the “I thought you were auditing” trap get your engagement letter right from the start.

5. Frameworks, Standards, or References (if relevant) 

  • CIBA Guide to AO Engagements (2024)

  • Close Corporations Act, Section 60 & 62

  • ISRS 4400: Agreed-Upon Procedures

  • CIBA Ethics & ISQM 1 Guidelines  

6. How to Apply (Action steps) 

7. Common Mistakes to Avoid (if applicable) 

  • Acting like an auditor (you’re not — don’t issue opinions).

  • Skipping the engagement letter (opens you up to liability).

  • Forgetting to note contraventions (required by law).

  • Using generic templates that don’t fit the AO role.

  • Thinking all clients understand what you’re doing — educate them.

  1. Do this instead:

    • Use the CIBA AO Framework.

    • Stick to ISRS 4400 scope.

    • Educate clients about what you can and can’t sign off on.

8. Related Resources