One of Unisa's academics extraordinaire, Dr Sedzani Musundwa, has received the Private and Public Sector Academic of the Year Award for her dedication to accounting education and her work in promoting women in accountancy.
The award was presented by the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants in South Africa during its recent annual convention gala dinner and Recognition Awards.
The event took place at the Radisson Hotel & Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
The association considers the gala dinner and recognition awards to be a celebration that serves to reflect on the achievements and milestones of the past year while recognising and honouring exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions not only to the accounting profession but also to the growth of their respective organisations and the overall economy.
Furthermore, the Recognition Awards bring together the most influential and accomplished figures within the accounting profession. Unisa’s College of Accounting Sciences participated in the event as a key contributor to the accounting profession.
The college’s highly qualified and skilled academics were acknowledged for their hard work and contribution to accounting.
Musundwa was awarded for her exceptional efforts and dedication in accounting education and her work in promoting women in accountancy.
After 15 years in academia, Musundwa received well-deserved acknowledgement for her contribution to advancing black accounting students. Currently, she is supervising several charted accountants pursuing their master's and doctoral studies through College of Accounting Sciences.
In 2022, she obtained her PhD in Accounting Sciences, the first female black chartered accountant, CA (SA), to obtain a PhD in Accounting Sciences at Unisa.
In addition, she was Chair of the Department of Financial Accounting. Therefore, the award is a fitting recognition of her hard work, conveying a powerful message that the accounting profession is open and supportive of diversity and gender inclusivity.
Musundwa’s achievement encourages other black women to pursue accounting careers and strive for excellence.
Asked how she feels about the recognition, Musundwa says the award will motivate her to continue empowering other women who aspire to be accountants.
She added: "Pioneering a new avenue of research is not easy; much is said about transformation in South Africa, but seeing it established through formal structures is a different story. Therefore, this acknowledgement of my work is extremely gratifying.“
Notably, Musundwa generously shared her achievement with those with whom she had walked the academic path.
She said: "Although the award has my name on it, it belongs to every academic who has invested in me, every student who has heeded my desires to do good for the next generation of blacks and to every colleague who has supported and mentored me at every stage of my career.“
Dr Moses Hlongoane, Executive Dean of the College of Accounting Sciences, said: “The college congratulates Dr Musundwa on her achievement. As a college, we are proud of her accomplishments, and we thank her for flying the Unisa flag high.”
Pretoria News