Auditor General, Tsakani Maluleke, on Thursday revealed the 2021/22 audit outcomes for the Northern Cape in a meeting which included Premier Zamani Saul and members of the Executive Council.

During the meeting, Maluleke announced that six departments (including the Departments of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Economic Development and Tourism, Education, Transport, Safety and Liaison, Roads and Public Works, and the Provincial Legislature) all obtained Unqualified Audit outcomes.

According to Saul the Office of the Premier, Provincial Treasury, and the Department of Social Development maintained clean audits. Two departments reported improvements, with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture entering the clean audit space for the first time.

He said the department of Transport, Safety and Liaison improved from the qualification space to Unqualified after years in the qualified space.

While only two Departments (namely Agriculture and the Department of Health) received Qualified Audits, Saul however stated that there are major steps that have been taken in both departments with the intervention programme.

“To this end at the Department of Health; in the management report issued to the Department in this audit cycle, the AGSA reported an improvement in the creditor payment period from 94 days in the 20/21 financial year to 64 days in the 2021/22 financial year. This is an improvement worth mentioning. We are aware that this is still way above thirty days, but it’s a move in the positive direction. There was no unauthorized expenditure (Over expenditure of DOH budget); which is the first in years. The department spent 99% of its budget. There was a significant decrease in accruals in the 2021/22 financial year when compared to the prior financial year,” adds Saul.

Saul further said that this is the fourth year in a row that the Auditor General did not express any disclaimer of opinion on the financial statements submitted by provincial departments.

“We pride ourselves in the fact that the Office of the Premier, Provincial Treasury and Social Development managed to maintain the clean audit status for the fourth year in a row and that another Clean Audit was registered, he said.

Saul welcomed the findings of the Auditor general and stated that they can build on the current achievements as a province and further committed the Executive and the Provincial Administration to exercise accountability, compliance, and transparency in the execution of their duties.

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