Central SA
Free State Treasury's monitoring plans laid bare─── LUCKY NKUYANE 15:15 Tue, 12 Apr 2022
The Free State's Provincial Treasury, which is responsible for the monthly oversight of the ability of various government entities to execute their functions in terms of legislated laws, has on Tuesday laid bare its plans for good governance.
MEC Gadija Brown, during her departmental budget speech for 2022/23, addressed her plans to deal with certain programmes, including financial governance, the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), which have been at the forefront of concerns amongst disgruntled residents in the province. She announced that the percentage of disclaimers was reduced to 29% from 31% in the 2019/20 financial year, to 22% for 2020/21.
MEC Brown announced that her department will continue to monitor or assess the adequacy, compliance and effective risk management strategies and internal activities within the province.
“On public finance and financial asset management we will continue with our oversight to ensure spending is in line with the financial resources allocated to each department. So, each department cannot willy-nilly transfer between each other [because if so, they will need to] appropriate it via process,” she adds.
Brown says, in terms of dealing with corruption, she and her department will facilitate the roll-out of an anti-corruption strategy and lifestyle audit in partnership with the office of Premier Sisi Ntombela.
Also read: Free State premier announces lifestyle audits
Tabling her Premier's Office budget for 2022/23, she told Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) that all those who visibly live beyond their means will have to account for their unexplained high standard of living.
“Provincial Treasury has been appropriated an amount of R317,266 million. This represents a reduction of 4.3 percent compared to the previous financial year and it is a result of the Provincial Treasury no longer being responsible for the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
OFM News previously reported that the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) has asked for 88 companies and individuals – who did business with government - to be blacklisted in the Free State.
Also read: Several FS companies to be blacklisted
The Special Tribunal (Tribunal) in January 2022 declared the decision of the Free State Treasury and Health, to award a tender worth R39.1 million for surgical gowns, invalid and unlawful.
