The department of roads and transport and its HOD, Hanli du Plessis received a standing ovation from the roads and transport portfolio committee chaired by Dr Thidziambi Gladys Nethengwe for the department’s improved report from the Auditor-General’s (AG) office for the 2012/13 financial year.
The department was the only Limpopo government department that showed an improvement in its annual audit and moved from a qualified opinion with findings to an unqualified audit report with findings. An unqualified opinion (clean opinion) means that the AG concluded that the financial statements gave a true and fair view in accordance with the financial reporting framework used for the preparation and presentation of the financial statements. A qualified opinion was issued when the AG encountered one of two types of situations which did not comply with generally accepted accounting principles, but the rest of the financial statements were fairly presented. The presence of findings indicate significant errors or risks in the entity’s financial information.
Nethengwe said the committee was happy with what was happening in the department. The department had to explain why certain targets were not reached and did so to the committee’s satisfaction.
Delays in certain vacancies being filled, bus strikes and two weighbridges that were closed, as well as all contractors that were delayed by six months led to the department not being able to reach its targets. Some municipalities also did not pay over licensing fees owed to the department, and magistrates “squashing” tickets leading to revenue not being collected was also discussed at the portfolio meeting.
The portfolio committee also said more post offices should be engaged to supply licences to people needing to renew them. The selling of monthly bus tickets from the 27th to the 1st of each month instead of from the 27th to the 7th of each month as was done previously, was criticised by committee members.
Du Plessis said the backlog of designed roads in the province would cost around R7 billion to deal with – a budget bigger than that of the province. She said 10 of the AG’s findings had already been addressed.
Three officials were being disciplined for doing remunerative work outside the department. There were still some problems with paying contractors within 30 days, but the department was working on it, she said.
Thys de Beer, representing the AG’s office at the meeting said the AG was looking forward to receiving a clean audit from the department next year. He said the department put in effort, was committed and delivered their information on time.
Derrick Ngobeni, former Scopa chairperson and member of the portfolio committee said all departments should follow this department’s example.
He called on the staff of roads and transport to support Du Plessis in taking the department to its first clean audit next year. “They have continued to do good work throughout a difficult time,” he said.
