Auditor-general laments lack of accountability as he releases declining local government audit results

CAPE TOWN – The auditor-general (AG), Kimi Makwetu, today reported an overall deterioration in the audit results of South Africa’s municipalities for 2016-17.

Makwetu says despite his office’s constant and insistent advice and caution to those charged with governance and oversight about administrative lapses since 2013, their counsel has largely not been heeded.

"When we released the 2011-12 municipal audit outcomes in August 2013, we highlighted, amongst others, a lack of decisive leadership to address the lack of accountability by ensuring consequences against those who flouted basic processes that hampered effective municipal governance. We reported weaknesses in internal control and the risks that needed attention in local government by providing root causes for audit findings and recommendations to remedy these underlying causes. It is now five years later, and we are still faced with the same accountability and governance challenges we had flagged throughout these years. There has been no significant positive change towards credible results; instead we are witnessing a reversal in audit outcomes," laments the AG.