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UNQUALIFIED AUDIT REPORT REPRESENTS ACCELARATED AND IMPROVED SERVICE DELIVERY

THEEWATERSKLOOF MUNICIPALITY

MEDIA STATEMENT

25 JANUARY 2024

The Theewaterskloof Municipality maintained its good audit record after it received an unqualified audit outcome from the Auditor-General for the 2022/2023 financial year.

During the 2018/2019 year the municipality also received an unqualified report from the Auditor-General which was under the control of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and moving from a clean to an unqualified audit is therefore nothing new for the municipality.

The Theewaterskloof Governing Coalition, comprising of the African National Congress (ANC), Patriotic Alliance (PA) and The Good Party (GOOD), welcomed the audit outcome and stated that a clean audit is often not achievable if the focus is on accelerated project and service delivery.

It is a well-known reality that a clean audit report often results if the primary focus is compliance and not service delivery.

It is important for the coalition government to comply with lengthy processes, but it is more important to stabilise the means to provide services and actual service delivery. The few technical suggestions made by the Auditor-General will be implemented within the ambits of legislation, implement certain minor changes that will facilitate a return to clean audit outcomes.

Councillor Mary Liebenberg, the Executive Mayor of the Theewaterskloof Municipality said “the audit outcome confirms the municipality’s compliance with requirements of the Local Government: Municipal Financial Management Act and other pieces of legislation”.

“It also confirms high levels of financial and bookkeeping controls and processes; excellent financial management; and watertight budget control,” she said.

She said the unqualified audit outcome is indicative of high levels of financial integrity and that the bulk of the municipal income is utilised to benefit the people of Theewaterskloof.

“The audit outcome means that the Auditor-General is satisfied with how the municipality spend available funds and our ability to operate within the parameters of the approved budget.”

Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, the Municipal Manager in his response said “that in the context with the state of municipalities in South Africa, an unqualified audit outcome is a great achievement”.

“This was a team effort and I thank the entire council and management for this achievement. The audit outcome exemplifies good governance and sound financial practices with strong interdependencies on functionalities such as human resources and performance management. The AG’s audit process was, as always, strict, intense and thorough and something we can really measure ourselves against” said Solomons-Johannes.

Solomons-Johannes further stated that “I must stress that while we welcome the unqualified audit report, it does not mean that Theewaterskloof Municipality is rich or that we have substantial reserves. The reality is that our income sources are under severe pressure and financial stability remains a challenge and priority to council and the management of Theewaterskloof Municipality.”

The Executive Mayor acknowledged the work of certain entities and individuals who contributed to the audit process.

The Auditor-General conducted their audit in a constructive and cooperative manner. Throughout the year the council, my executive mayoral committee, the finance portfolio, the municipal manager, administration, the finance directorate, the Chief Audit Executive and team, as well as the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) and the Performance & Audit Committee, worked towards the unqualified audit outcome.

End

Issued by: Theewaterskloof Municipality, Communications Department

Media enquiries: Wilfred Schrevian Evan Solomons-Johannes, Municipal Manager, Cell: 084 711 7709; E-mail: media@twk.gov.za