One of the most persistent issues highlighted by the Auditor-General (AG) is the “double-dipping” on financial skills. Oversight teams frequently find that municipalities spend millions on private consultants to prepare basic financial statements, even when they have a full, salaried internal finance department.
Members of the Legislatures are pushing municipalities to freeze the use of consultants and instead invest that budget into attracting and appointing suitably qualified, permanent personnel who can be held accountable under the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
Oversight isn’t just about identifying what went wrong anymore; the focus has shifted heavily toward consequence management ensuring that officials who fail to implement internal controls or who bypass supply chain laws face disciplinary or legal action.
The legislature committed to ensuring that municipalities receive the necessary support and that cash flow within municipalities should be improved so as to ensure that municipalities are able pay to service providers like Eskom and the water boards.
#accountability#governance#SCOPA#oversight
