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12/03/2013

SAICA Southern Cape District Association, members of industry and NMMU’s School of Accounting again combined forces to acknowledge the top performing BCom Accounting students of 2012 at George Campus.

Thirty-five students in their first, second and third years of study jointly notched-up no less than 71 subject distinctions – and were suitably acknowledged for their efforts by Deloitte. Eight students in the group accounted for nearly half (thirty-four) of these distinctions.  

Francelise Maartens, a first-year BCom (CA) student and one of the recipients of the prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s scholarship netted six subject distinctions. She was also acknowledged as the top first year BCom Accounting student, and received a prize from MeyerOtto. Mauritz du Plessis was the Top 2nd year BCom Accounting student. His prize was sponsored by Leask & Partners.

Ilanie Barnard, another VC Scholarship holder in her third year of study impressed with her consistent high standard of achievement which earned her three subject distinctions and the prestigious SAICA Big Five Special Awards as Top Student Auditing, Accounting, Taxation, Management Accounting and Financial Management. These subjects are considered the fundamental underpinnings or Holy Grail for entry into the field of chartered accountancy. She also received the Victor Ladorum prize for Auditing from Ernst & Young; the Victor Ladorum Management Accounting from Bolton Footware and Victor Ladorum Taxation from Burger & Associates; as well as the PKF prize for the top Accounting (subject) student in the third year of study and the LUMENROCK Expert Financial Services prize for the top 3rd year student in the BCom Accounting programme.

Mauritz du Plessis and Mikhai Kossar were the top Accounting students in their 2nd and 3rd year of study towards the BCom Accounting degree. They received prizes from Ernst & Young and Moore Stephens respectively. Kossar was also acknowledged as the Top Aspirant Student for BCom Accounting (1st year), with Natasha de Villiers taking the honours in the 2nd year of study. They received prizes from Mazars and MeyerOtto.

The top year students in the BCom General Accounting programme were Anzel Gouws (3rd year), Siobhan Avontuur (2nd year) and Willem Marais (1st year). Their prizes were sponsored respectively by Oakhurst Insurance (Anzel Gouws), Boshoff Visser (Siobahn Avontuur) and the permanent accounting lecturers at NMMU George Campus – Mr Pieter Wicht, Mss Jane Fountain and Catherine Fourie.

With an eye for talent, SAICA, also suitably acknowledged the excellent performance of the top 1st and 2nd year students in the Extended BCom Accounting & General Accounting programmes – Nompumelelo Mtambo and Didintle Lekubu. Mtambo also notched-up five subject distinctions.

For the first time Deloitte also awarded a non-academic prize for the ”most balanced” BCom Accounting student who, as voted by the students themselves, managed to achieve a good balance between “work and play” . The recipients were Candice Berman and Jo Muthavhi, who are now enrolled for their third year of study.

Prof Frans Prinsloo, Director of NMMU’s School of Accounting joined the students in celebrating their achievements. He lauded them for their drive for excellence, dedication and hard work which underpins their success. He also encouraged them to maintain their consistent good performance, as this was a good indicator for future career success, and sends a positive signal to prospective employers. He also thanked NMMU staff and industry for taking such a keen interest in the development of NMMU’s “accounting capital”. Prof Prinsloo also reiterated that NMMU greatly values the good relationship with industry.

Subject distinctions

Congratulations to the Class of 2012 who contributed to the whopping 71 subject distinctions in the BCom Accounting and BCom General Accounting programmes offered at NMMU George Campus. They received a financial incentive from Deloitte and their names will also be captured on the Deloitte Roll of Honour:

Francelise Maartens, Nompumelelo Mtambo, Mauritz du Plessis, Mikhai Kossar, Shaun Ridgway, Willem Marais, Ilanie Barnard, Candice Berman, Didintle Lekubu, Salizwa Samuel, Jean-Pierre de Lange, Paul du Toit, Mavis Mahlangu, Andre Verwey, Jillian Weyers, Carisca van Jaarsveld, Jason Smit, Nicolaas Claassen, Nokukhanya Nobaza, Veronica Nocuze, Gershwin Saptoe, Altus van Niekerk, Bianca Venter, Natasha de Villiers, Caywill (Peter) Small, Awonke Kampie, Petrus Lategan, Mumza Mdlatu, Rofhiwa Nekokwane, Mapula Thema, Michael van Reizig, Sean Erasmus, Khuthadzo Muthavhi, Jessica van Rensburg and Phumeza Velaphi.

CAPTIONS

Image 4016:  The BCom Accounting Class of 2012 notched-up no less than 71 subject distinctions. Some of them are featured here with a proud Mr Willem van der Post of Deloitte (back, centre) and Prof Frans Prinsloo (far right), Director of the School of Accounting in Port Elizabeth, who attended the annual BCom Awards with the recipients, industry stakeholders and staff of NMMU George.

Image 4018: SAICA representative, Mr Pieter Esterhuizen, with Nompumelelo Mtambo top 1st year student in the Extended BCom Accounting programme

Image 4022: Mr Pieter Esterhuizen (SAICA Southern Cape Regional Committee) and Prof Frans Prinsloo, Director of the NMMU School of Accounting, with Ilanie Barnard who received the prestigious SAICA Big 5 Special Awards at the NMMU George BCom Accounting Awards evening. Ilanie is one of six George Campus students who are recipients of NMMU’s prestigious VC Scholarship for top achievers. Four of the six are BCom students.

Image 4053: Mr Willem van der Post of Deloitte congratulates the recipients of the “most balanced second and third year accounting student” Candice Berman and Jo Muthavhi, who are now enrolled for their third year of study. Deloitte also sponsored prized for all recipients of subject distinctions. Their names will be captured in the Deloitte Roll of Honour.

Image 3989: Francelise Maartens, a recipient of the prestigious VC Scholarship for students of outstanding academic merit, is congratulated by Prof Frans Prinsloo, Director of the School of Accounting on attaining six subject distinctions in her first year of studies towards the BCom Accounting for Chartered Accountants-degree.

Image 3998: Prof Frans Prinsloo congratulates Mauritz du Plessis on his achievements as top 2nd year student in BCom Accounting

Image 4030: Top year student BCom General Accounting, Willem Marais (1st year), with NMMU George accounting lecturers, Jane Fountain (left) and Catherine Fourie who sponsored his prize.

Image 4037: Mr Andrew Jeffery of Mazars congratulates Mikhai Kossar, top 1st year aspirant student in the BCom Accounting programme.

Image 4044: Top Accounting student in the 1st year BCom Accounting programme, Mikhai Kossar with Jo Viviers and Melinda Moore of Moore Stephens.

Image 4048: Top performer, Ilanie Barnard with Kobus Goosen of PKF and Prof Frans Prinsloo of the NMMu School of Accounting.

Image 4056: Top year student BCom General Accounting, Anzel Gouws (3rd year) with Stephanus Louw and Stephan Visser of Oakhurst Insurance.

Image 4061: Father and son … a proud Garth Smit, who heads up ICT services at NMMU George Campus with his son, Jason, who received two subject distinctions during his first year of BCom studies.

Image 4067: Ilanie Barnard (second from left) with representatives of Ernst & Young - Elizna Prinsloo (left), Marlé Jacobs and Lindelwa Mpindwana

Contact information
Ms Alet van Tonder
Manager: Marketing & Corporate Relations
Tel: 27 44 801 5098
alet.vantonder@mandela.ac.za