AG audit findings: DA ‘has proven incompetent to run Tshwane’

Residents of Tshwane have said they were not surprised by the Auditor-General of South Africa’s (AG) findings against the City of Tshwane’s (CoT) financial audit.

Earlier this week a leaked report indicated the CoT was flagged for serious irregularities and failing to submit the correct paperwork.

Service delivery issues

Eersterust resident Elzona Lombard said they were not happy with the service delivery by the CoT.

“Things are left unfixed. Every time it’s empty promises but nothing,” she said. Lombard said the waterpipes and infrastructure was falling apart in Eersterust.

“We are without water for more than four hours a day,” she said.

Simon Valelo said service delivery in Tshwane wasn’t always bad.

“There are simple things you see neglected in the city, such as the parks and the streetlights. Small things are not happening, but if you look closer, you see the big problems,” he said.

“The state of the municipality is worse than ever. I cannot wait for the change of government in the city,” he added.

Jabulani Jiyane travelled to Pretoria for work regularly and said he was worried about the unemployment in the city.

“Every you look, you see people living on the street,” he said.

Experts weigh in

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said the audit findings were explicit, clear and unacceptable.

“It goes much wider than just the CFO,” he said.

Croucamp said the audit embarrassed the Democratic Alliance (DA) thoroughly.

DA ‘incompetent’

Lecturer of Politics at the Northwest University South Africa, Dr Benjamin Rapanyane said the DA has proven incompetent to run Tshwane.

“The slamming of the DA-run Tshwane Multiparty coalition government for the catastrophic financial performance by the AG for the 2021/22 financial year clearly shows us that where there is smoke, there is fire,” he said.

Rapanyane said the flagging of the CoT by the AG will have prolonged political consequences for the DA, despite the sacking of former CFO Umar Banda for financial misconduct after misrepresenting CoT’s 2021/22 financial statements.

“As the AG correctly puts it, the city had a balance of irregular expenditure at R10 455 255 414 that could not be correctly accounted for. The DA has proven incompetent in running Tshwane and could not be trusted with the city’s financials going forward,” he said.

Rapanyane said such findings could have a dire impact on the people of Tshwane when it came to entrusting the DA with the government again.

“Those who have improperly benefitted from such improper conduct should be investigated and action is taken to recover any monies unfairly accrued. Justice should be served to the culprits,” he said.

Mayor reacts to findings

CoT Executive Mayor Randall Williams assured residents the CoT took the findings by the AG very seriously.

“The decline in the city’s audit performance is unacceptable. As the political leadership we must step up, take responsibility and ensure that we immediately plot a path towards achieving better audit outcomes,” he said.

Williams said criminal charges were to be laid against the ex-CFO after the termination of the CFO’s contract as of 31 December 2022.

The CoT said external auditors will be appointed to support the auditing process and implement disciplinary processes against any officials whose performance led to poor audit outcomes.

Williams said the CoT will appoint a full-time City Manager.

“Investigations are to be initiated into councillors and officials who may have benefited from supply chain processes,” he added.

marizkac@citizen.co.za

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