Parliament pleased with 10th straight clean audit but warns it will struggle to pay staff salaries in next few years
Parliament said that although Treasury had helped it to meet the shortfall in its budget for the compensation of employees by almost R200 million in this financial year, the adjustments were not enough.
FILE: (From left to right) NCOP chair Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and Secretary to Parliament Xolile George at a media briefing on the readiness for the Opening of Parliament Address. Picture: Lindsay Dentlinger/EWN
CAPE TOWN - Parliament said that despite Treasury's help to pay staff salaries, it was still going to come up short in the next few years.
Taking stock of the parliamentary year, the presiding officers said they were pleased with their tenth consecutive clean audit for the past financial year.
But despite its R3.4 billion budget, Parliament said it was not enough to meet its responsibilities.
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Parliament said that although Treasury had helped it to meet the shortfall in its budget for the compensation of employees by almost R200 million in this financial year, the adjustments were not enough.
In its year-end report, Parliament said it would need to come up with a more sustainable funding model that would support its constitutional functions in a country with fiscal challenges.
In October, Parliament suspended its chief financial officer, Jason O'Hara, only 18 months into the job.
It's unclear what the status of his suspension is.
Nevertheless, Parliament is proud of its clean books.
Spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo: "For the tenth consecutive year, the institution has achieved a clean audit which demonstrates Parliament's commitment to fiscal accountability and good governance, even in this constrained economic environment."
Parliament has been allocated an additional R2 billion for the post-fire rebuild, which is set to start in earnest next year, although it’s indicated another billion will be needed for ICT infrastructure.