Saul noted the report in his State of the Province Address (Sopa) in Kimberley on Friday, July 5. He said ethical leadership is the most critical component of functional and stable municipalities and it is as a result of this that the vacant key municipal positions across the province must be filled urgently. Municipalities need competent chief financial officers, says Saul sternly.

The Premier then jokes “just because someone is a treasurer at the church” doesn’t mean they can be Chief Financial Officer. He says this a problem that leads to the deterioration of audit outcomes.

Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu revealed in his damning report that not only did the overall audit outcomes in the province regress - notably at the Sol Plaatje and Gamagara municipalities, which receive the largest chunks of money - but many financial statements were also not submitted by the cut-off date for the report. 

“Every year our message is that mayors, municipal managers and senior managers need to hold each other and their subordinates accountable, but this message has been met with little response.” 

Makwetu further added that vacancies at several municipalities resulted in an over-reliance on consultants. It is this over-reliance that Saul wants to end.

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