Editing Chartered accountant (section)

=== South Africa ===
In South Africa, SAICA, the [[South African Institute of Chartered Accountants]], regulates the Chartered Accountant (South Africa) designation, CA (SA).

To qualify as a CA (SA), one requires a [[Bachelor of Accountancy|specialised bachelor's degree in accounting]], followed by a Certificate in the Theory of Accounting (CTA); depending on the university, this is offered as a [[Bachelor's degree#South Africa|postgraduate honours degree]] or as a [[postgraduate diploma]]. This formal education is followed by two external competency exams set by SAICA.

A separate registration is needed for Chartered Accountants wishing to act as auditors in public practice as a registered auditor (RA). The RA designation is conferred by IRBA (Independent Regulatory Board For Auditors, previously known as Public Accountants and Auditors Board [PAAB]) under the Auditing Profession Act (AP Act).<ref>Auditing Profession Act s37(2)</ref>

Candidates must complete three years of practical experience, working for a registered training office – the Training In Public Practice (TIPP) programme. Articled clerks who switch employers during this period are required to extend their training by six months. The Training Outside Public Practice (TOPP) programme has a [[Corporate finance|financial management]] focus; TOPP trainees can thus become Chartered Accountants with a more limited knowledge and experience of auditing than those who undergo the TIPP programme, but with a more extensive financial management and business experience.

Chartered accountants who are not registered auditors may not act as or hold out to be auditors in public practice.<ref>Auditing Profession Act s41(a)</ref>  However, the AP Act does not prohibit non-RAs from using the description 'internal auditor' or 'accountant', or from auditing a not-for-profit club, institution or association if they receive no fee for such audit.<ref>Auditing Profession Act s41(3)</ref>

In South Africa the Companies Act was replaced, with effect in July 2010, to allow companies without a public interest to choose between an audit or an independent review. A review is not an attest function and can be performed by accountants who are members of bodies that are registered in terms of the Close Corporations Act of 1984, which include SAIBA, [[Chartered Institute of Management Accountants|CIMA]], SAICA, [[South African Institute of Professional Accountants|SAIPA]] and [[Association of Chartered Certified Accountants|ACCA]].