Tshwane to move to cashless system to fortify financial controls

The Tshwane customer care centres will soon go cashless.

Municipal public accounts (MPAC) chairperson, Kholofelo Morodi said the customer care centres still used traditional cash to sell ratepayers electricity and water.

Morodi said when she visited a centre recently for an audit, it was clear digital transactions were needed to strengthen the metro’s financial controls.

“This revelation surfaced during an unannounced cash count pre-inspection conducted at the Tshwane customer care centre. The impetus behind this sudden scrutiny was to aid the Tshwane in fortifying its internal financial controls.

The fundamental objective of the impromptu cash count pre-inspection was to ensure transparency and accountability within the financial operations of the Tshwane customer care centre. Through this comprehensive audit, the MPAC sought to identify any vulnerabilities or areas necessitating enhancement within the cash-handling protocols.

By conducting surprise cash count pre-inspections and implementing robust internal control measures, Tshwane is diligently labouring to establish a secure financial milieu for its constituents.

This initiative contributes to an overall amelioration in service delivery and fosters trust in the municipality’s financial management.”

Morodi said there was a strong need for Tshwane to usher the centres into the digital age after they were unable to implement the selling of prepaid electricity and water via electronic funds transfer (EFT).

Morodi said a transition to the EFT payment would secure transactions for both Tshwane and its clientele.

She said this would further reduce the frequency of cash transportation to the centres, and in turn lead to cost savings.

“Additionally, this transition would obviate the necessity for customers to possess substantial sums of cash for transaction purposes.”

Morodi said she planned to raise the adoption of EFT payments with the pertinent stakeholders.

“This proactive approach underscores the local government’s unwavering commitment to perpetually refining its internal controls and optimising the utilisation of public funds.”

Gauteng premier, Panyaza Lesufi recently called for the province to operate on a cashless economy.

Lesufi was responding to a CIT heist that occurred on the N12, Gauteng, recently.

He said having less cash in circulation would eliminate cash-related robberies in the province.

“If we remove cash and convert our province into a cashless environment, this madness will be minimised. The retail industry must heed our call to move towards cashless transactions.

The hospitality industry, especially hotels, are cooperating nicely with us. We are a highly digital province. Even uncles when they ask for money, they say ‘eWallet me’.”

Lesufi said the province would engage the the transport industry to minimise cash dealings.

“From next year, April – hospitals and driving licence centres will be cashless to minimise cash dealings and we will have fewer ATM bombings and business robberies,” said Lesufi.

In his recent state of province address, Lesufi said to strengthen the fight against crime, Gauteng needed to revamp legislation on crucial areas such as the need to move to less cash in business transactions.

“To contribute to our desire to use less cash in business transactions in our province, we urge our retailers and other businesses to join the hospitality industry in eliminating cash transactions. If we all do so, we will see fewer, business robberies, cash heists and ATM bombings.”

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