Agriculture and Environmental Affairs
25 October 2007
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Environmental Affairs Mtholephi
Mthimkhulu has noted the Auditor-General Terrence Nombembe's Report on the
financial control environment within the Department of Agriculture and
Environmental Affairs.
MEC Mthimkhulu said the disclaimer on the 2006/07 financial year did not
come as a surprise as the department had been in a parlous financial situation
during the preceding two financial years of 2004/05 and 2005/06 which had
resulted in the instituting of an internal audit investigation whose findings
are in the public domain.
"As the Executing Authority of the Department of Agriculture and
Environmental Affairs, the Auditor-General's report on the immediate past
financial year was anticipated because I knew very well that a resultant
spill-over to the 2006/07 financial year as inevitable from two preceding
financial years of 2004/05 and 2005/06. With the assistance of the Department
of Public Service Administration and the Provincial Treasury, we have embarked
on a turn-around strategy in order to do remedial work where weaknesses had
been identified within the financial control environment.
"The new Head of Department Advocate Modidima Mannya has put in place
control systems and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that what happened in the
past three financial years do not recur," said Mthimkhulu.
MEC Mthimkhulu said he had been assured of support by the Standing Committee
on Public Accounts and the Finance Portfolio Committee as the department
embarks on the turn-around exercise to improve the financial control
environment and the weaknesses identified in the Internal Audit Report.
"I remain optimistic that the financial control environment will improve for
the better during the current financial year of 2007/08," said Mthimkhulu.
For enquiries please contact:
Mbulelo Baloyi
Media Liaison Officer
Cell: 082 415 7277
Issued by: Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs,
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
25 October 2007
Source: SAPA
