Maluleke: We won't hesitate to issue certificates of debt
Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke was presenting the audit outcomes of the 2019 / 2020 financial year on Wednesday.
JOHANNESBURG - Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke said her office would not hesitate to issue certificates of debt if accounting officers wouldn't take action to curb wasteful and irregular expenditure
Maluleke was presenting the audit outcomes of the 2019/2020 financial year on Wednesday.
She said irregular expenditure had accumulated to R262 billion and that 69% of audited public departments materially didn’t comply with legislation, down from 73% the previous year.
Only a quarter of auditees produced quality financial statements.
Maluleke said last year’s irregular expenditure had come down from R66.9 billion to R54.3 billion but that was no reason to celebrate.
“And indeed when we flashed this number of an accumulated closing balance of irregular expenditure of R262 billion. Our main message is this, the system has much work to do before we can push back on the culture of tolerance for transgressions.”
READ: Decrease in state's irregular expenditure no reason to celebrate - AG Maluleke
She warned President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration to implement sustainable preventive measures, saying now was the time to crack the whip.
“We will not hesitate to issue a certificate of debt when we need to. I think by now you know our office well we take on these challenges and we conduct our work without any fear, without any favour, without any prejudice.“
Maluleke said accounting officers couldn't hide behind politicians because the law held them to account and protected them.
Material irregularities identified.
South African Government (@GovernmentZA) March 31, 2021
By 28 February 2021, accounting officers and authorities of the selected auditees of 75 material irregularities were notified. They all related to non-compliance with legislation that resulted in a material financial loss. #AGreport pic.twitter.com/ppCXJHadwc
[Read] Auditor General (AG) of South Africa, Tsakani Maluleke, has expressed concern over the financial health of departments as unauthorised expenditure increased in the 2019-2020 financial year @AuditorGen_SA https://t.co/j3sKlBy3ia #AGReport pic.twitter.com/G50cma6uDF
@SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) March 31, 2021
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