Lerato Mailoane
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has praised seven departments and 14 entities for receiving clean audits in the 2023/24 financial year.
This means that these departments and entities have demonstrated sound financial management and accountability. Additionally, seven departments and four entities received unqualified audit opinions, indicating that they have met the minimum requirements for financial reporting and compliance.
Addressing Members of the Executive Council, Heads of Department and senior management during the Clean Audit Awards in Sandton on Sunday, Lesufi said this is encouraging as departments have improved steadily over the past three years.
The Clean Audit Awards is an annual event that recognizes and celebrates the efforts of government departments and entities in achieving clean audits and unqualified opinions.
Premier Lesufi highlighted that seven departments remained stagnant on unqualified opinions with findings in the current year.
"We must encourage them to work hard to get the clean audits. We must also pay our service providers within 30 days and support the struggling departments."
He was, however, pleased that no department received a disclaimer or unqualified audit opinion.
"While there are no regressions in the current year's audit outcomes, there are notable stagnations on unqualified audit opinion with findings from seven departments," said Lesufi.
He further said the Gauteng Provincial Government was committed to maintaining the clean audits that have been achieved and improving the audit outcomes of other departments and entities going forward.
"We will intensify internal controls to ensure we do not regress," said Lesufi.
He singled out the G-Fleet for starting with a disclaimer to qualify, but in the last two years, it has achieved a clean audit.
The premier said this was a demonstration that it is doable.
He also said the provincial government was working on strengthening the forensic unit in the Office of the Premier and creating a mini-forfeiture unit to handle all the minor cases instead of taking them to the Special Investigating Unit.
On lifestyle Lesufi encouraged those who haven't conducted the audits to submit their financial records.
"It is challenging, but you can't keep quiet. Rather, request for an extension to submit your finances."
Head and Chief Executive of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), Advocate Andy Mothibi said as part of corruption prevention, the unit was looking at awareness, education, and lifestyle audits, among other things.
"The lifestyle audit is a chapter on its own under prevention, as part of rolling out the vital work of the government to ensure that we are proactive in fighting maladministration."
At this stage, he said 19 lifestyle audits had been done on accounting officer levels, including CEOs and HODs.
"We have concluded this process, and the report has been presented to the premier. We found that 37% of the audited accounting officers were high risks or failed the test. Sixteen (16 %) were found to be medium risk, while 47 % were low risk. We require action against those that failed," added Mothibi.