Upon the release of his 2018/19 report, Makwetu named the North West Provincial Government as one of the biggest contributors in the country to irregular expenditure, with an amount of R3,2 billion.

The DA’s member of the provincial legislature, Freddy Sonakile, says the enormous irregular expenditure indicates that interventions into ten provincial departments and 14 municipalities by Mokgoro's administration failed.

Sonakile adds that in the face of an unemployment rate of close to 50%, a lack of basic services, and poor healthcare facilities, amongst others, the squandering of R3,2 billion demonstrates what he calls the government’s cruel apathy towards struggling residents of the province.

Meanwhile, the Forum-4-Service Delivery’s (F4SD) provincial spokesperson, Kelebogile Mocumi, says the incompetent leadership, senior management and officials failed to develop, implement and monitor effective systems and processes of internal control, including corrective action. The office of the premier is yet to comment.

Not a single municipality in the North West Province attained a clean audit. According to Makwetu's report, the irregular expenditure in the province remained high at R3,2 billion and the closing balance was one of the highest of the provinces at R18,8 billion.

“These audit results, the worst since 2012-13, are a clear indication of the deteriorating accountability, a blatant disregard of our messages and recommendations, complacency and a lack of commitment to decisively address key areas of concern as well as a lack of political will to effect consequences," Mocumi added.

Despite the commitments made by the leadership to address root causes and control deficiencies, they did not respond with the required urgency to our messages about addressing risks and improving internal controls. In his report, Makwetu said the political instability in the province and the tone of those charged with governance has created an environment that is not conducive to accountability, good governance and the effecting of consequences.

OFM News previously reported that the Matlosana Local Municipality, which includes Klerksdorp in the province, was labelled according to a National Treasury report as one of the worst municipalities in terms of issues such as financial records.

Treasury flagged the municipality as having a bad cash coverage and says the municipality fails to raise its revenue. The municipality on Friday 8 November appeared before the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). The Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Chairperson, China Dodovu, during the briefing expressed his concerns at the R2,7 billion owed to the municipality. The Treasury report says the municipality could only collect a mere 51% of revenue instead of the earmarked 95% from the first quarter. The municipality is yet to comment.

The municipality told Dodovu that it owes the power utility Eskom about R430 million and arrangements have been made between the two parties to repay the debt. It also confirmed that it also owes Midvaal Water Board millions of rands. Dodovu lambasted the municipality over a report by Makwetu, which said the municipality did not bother investigating its irregular expenditure which ran into millions of rands. It was also noted in the House that the municipality has had to deal with a fraud case of R1,4 million. The municipality indicated that three persons were since sanctioned to a prison term of at least five years.

OFM News