Limpopo audit outcomes show substantial improvement

Limpopo

Preliminary audit outcomes for Limpopo Province shows a significant improvement in the 2023/2024 financial year.

This was announced during a meeting held with the Office of the Auditor General (AG) on Wednesday 21 August 2024, between Limpopo Premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, along with the MEC for Provincial Treasury Kgabo Mahoai and the MEC for Cooperative Governance Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs Mr Basikopo Makamu.

 The meeting, led by the Limpopo Business Unit Leader Mr Stephen Kheleli, aimed to provide the premier with the status of provincial and local government audit outcomes in Limpopo for the 2023/2024 financial year.

During the meeting, the AG delivered a report on the audit outcomes of both the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA) for the province. The report will be further presented to the Limpopo Legislature, in which the details of the audit outcomes will be made public.

Ramathuba expressed her appreciation for the positive outcomes revealed in the reports, showing an improvement in the audit outcomes with no disclaimer audit opinions across the province.

“That report notwithstanding, we would still want to see the results of the audit linking very well with the level of service provision to the people. That’s where a department gets a clean audit which is necessary experienced by residents in terms of level of services they receive. The audits give us confidence that we shall work hard to improve the quality of lives of our residents. This also sends a positive message to our investors, that if we want to see socio-economic growth and partnerships, we should be firm on matters of governance,” said Ramathuba.

During the meeting, Kheleli reiterated the importance of improving financial health and performance management within key economic development entities in the province to enhance economic activities. He also called for swift corrective action and consequence management to address irregularities, emphasising the need for good governance and accountability among all role players.

The AG also discussed the need to ensure that grants are fully utilised for their intended purposes to enable service provision and completion of planned infrastructure projects within the planned timelines.

 Furthermore, it was noted that there has been a shift from qualified findings to unqualified findings, indicating progress in the province. However, challenges such as high spending on consultants and irregular expenses persist, and the meeting called for action to target high achievements of service delivery targets.

In conclusion, the premier and the AG emphasised the importance of compliance with laws and regulations, proper project completion, and the efficient use of resources to ensure continued progress and development in Limpopo.