KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka is urging municipalities in the province to cooperate closely with the office of the Auditor General in ensuring a successful audit season and a conducive environment for the Auditor-General team. MEC Hlomuka made the call following a high-profile meeting with the Auditor General’s office this morning.
“The Auditor General is a pillar institution supporting our constitutional democracy. It is critical that all of us create an environment that enables it to perform its functions without fear or favour. As the province of KZN, we commit to decisively deal with anyone who attempts to hamper the Auditor General’s work in our municipalities in the current audit season and beyond,” said Hlomuka.
“As KZN Cogta, are working proactively to create an environment between the Auditor General’s office and our municipalities to ensure a successful audit season. Such an environment requires seamless cooperation between auditors and auditees, that is municipalities. This is in the best interest of municipalities themselves,” said Hlomuka.
KZN Cogta has, in the same breath, also made it clear that any lack of cooperation from municipalities with the office of the Auditor General in the audit process will attract consequence management measures against any and all individuals who are found to be standing in the way of a successful audit season in the province’s municipalities.
“We are calling on all councillors and all municipal oversight structures to ensure that their municipalities give the Auditor General’s office their full cooperation. This is precisely what councillors and municipal oversight structures have, among other things, been elected to do so we are simply appealing that they discharge their duties,” said Hlomuka.
KZN Cogta maintains that annual municipal audits are a fairly good indication of how municipalities are performing and the department is determined to ensure that these audits essentially unfold in an atmosphere marked by full and unhindered cooperation and trust between the two sides to municipal audits, namely auditors and auditees.