Public Works teaming up with Auditor-General after poor audit performance - Macpherson

CAPE TOWN - Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said that his department would be teaming up with the Auditor-General following a disastrous performance by his department.

Macpherson on Wednesday morning met with the Auditor-General to be briefed on the department’s performance for the 2022/23 financial.

The minister said that his department's performance saw "systemic failures" to meet targets on delivery and financial management.

Parliament’s public works committee also red-flagged the poor performance and called for urgent interventions.

The Auditor-General told the committee how 107 projects in the public works sector had been delayed, amounting to R3.9 billion.

According to the AG, these delays were primarily due to poor contractor performance.

It said that of the 107 projects, 63 had been delayed by more than three years.

The department in a statement on Wednesday said that Macpherson and the AG had now committed to working together to assist the department in improving its performance and auditing processes.

It said this intervention formed part of the changes that Macpherson had committed to implementing to improve audit outcomes following what he described as "disastrous results" that were reported last week by the AG.

Macpherson said the findings that irregular expenditure jumped from R98 million in one year to R521 million was deeply concerning because it was public money being wasted.

"Working together with the AGSA will help increase the oversight within our branches to expose any malpractices, as well as help officials to improve their reporting to ensure that we can begin the journey to meeting our targets and audit outcomes within the shortest timeframe possible," said Macpherson.

Macpherson said that Wednesday's meeting formed part of other actions he had taken to avoid the wastage, including removing the ability for officials to spend up to R20 million without accounting officer approval.

The minister has also requested a skills audit at the senior management service (SMS) level to ensure the department has the necessary skills.