Auditing Fundamentals in a South African Context, Third Edition provides a clear, practical, and accessible introduction to the core principles of auditing. Designed to support students throughout the undergraduate auditing curriculum, the text integrates theory with real-world application in a distinctly South African setting.

The book presents auditing concepts within a rich contextual framework, enhancing understanding of both the principles and the broader business environment. A continuing case study, based on a typical South African audit client, illustrates the practical application of auditing principles across each phase of the audit process. A well-developed pedagogical approach encourages applied learning, as well as independent, critical and reflective engagement with the subject matter.

This third edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect recent changes in legislation, financial reporting standards, auditing pronouncements, and governance codes. It also addresses the growing impact of technological advancements on the auditing profession, exploring their relevance and application to principles and practice.

This title is a companion to Auditing Fundamentals in a South African Context: Graded Questions, Fourth Edition.

New to this edition:

Comprehensively revised and updated to address the changes in principles of corporate governance, and requirements of legislation, financial reporting and auditing pronouncements and codes that have occurred since the publication of the previous edition of this work. 
The third edition text is designed to enable effective development of key competencies in the auditing discipline, in particular:
•    Audit competencies, as prescribed by the SAICA CA2025 competency framework;
•    Digital acumen and innovation;
•    Business acumen. 

The text is now paired with a separate component featuring the Nsimbi Piping case study and documentation of business cycle transactions, enabling readers to work with both components simultaneously and cross-reference them with ease.

Table of Contents:

Part A The context within which the external auditor operates
Chapter 1: Introduction.
Chapter 2: Ethics.
Chapter 3: Legal responsibilities of the auditor.
Part B The external audit process
Chapter 4: Basic concepts of governance and internal control.
Chapter 5: Introduction to risks and internal controls in a computerised environment.
Chapter 6: Revenue and receipts cycle.
Chapter 7: Purchase and payments cycle.
Chapter 8: Inventory and production cycle.
Chapter 9: Human resources cycle.
Chapter 10: Investment and financing cycle.
Chapter 11: Overview of the audit process.
Chapter 12: Pre-engagement and planning activities.
Chapter 13: Audit procedures: Essential concepts.
Chapter 14: Audit procedures: Specific considerations.
Chapter 15: Completion of the audit.
Chapter 16: The independent review.

This guide has been written with specific reference to the Examinable Taxation Pronouncements (the tax syllabus) for the Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC) of SAICA.

It covers VAT at both under- and postgraduate level and is updated annually with the latest legislation. Practice questions and suggested solutions are included.