The intervention by the departments of Finance and Local Government and Traditional Affairs to offer support and oversight functions to municipalities has begun to yield positive results.
In what could be described as a significant milestone in the province, all provincial municipalities have met the deadline of 31 August and submitted their annual financial statement to the auditor general for audit purpose. This includes outstanding statements for previous financial years.
The submission of the statements is in accordance with section 126 (1) of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) No. 56 of 2003 which states that the accounting officer of a municipality must prepare the annual financial statements of the municipality and within two months after the end of the financial year to which those statements relate, submit the statement to the auditor general for auditing. The financial year for period under review ended on June 30.
MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Honourable China Dodovu during his tone setting notes indicated that this event marks the beginning of a total turn around in municipalities. “Our commitment as government begins today, we should continue to have unflinching commitments and not subject ourselves to failure, it is high time that we remove all flawed practices and begin to shape to a better direction even if it means naming and shaming those who want us to be painted with the same brush of non-commitment and malicious compliance.
This initiative was critical and I am confident that going forward we will conquer and our wish to attain the 2014 clean audit will see the light of achievement”. said MEC Dodovu.
MEC Paul Sebegoe said the province has worked very hard to ensure that unlike in the past all municipalities meet submission deadline. Sebegoe said in the past some municipalities could not submit their financial statements on time or at all and as a result this impacted on their audit report.
“This is historic and great achievement in the province and it consistent with commitment made with the department of local government and traditional affairs to put in place collective efforts to see to it that good governance and administration is instilled in the overall management of municipal finance and administration.
The AFS submission compliance is ascribed to consistent intervention measures and support that the provincial government has been giving our municipalities to ensure that they adhere to MFMA. This is a sign of good things to come and we hope this would augur well for the achievement of clean audits by 2014," said MEC.
“Under the theme: towards 2014 clean audit the province will continue to support municipalities with limited capacity in the area of financial management and further recognise municipalities that perform excellently and independently.
The Auditor General as he received the statements said financial statements are important as they reflect the responsibilities carried by municipalities and how municipalities are run. The Auditor-General assured the municipalities that thorough work will be done to their financial state ments as the outcomes of their report will be based on what they have submitted. He said the submission by all municipalities gives hope and motivates citizens as it is a key symbol of accountability of service delivery promises made.
The municipalities signed commitment charter for improved financial management and undertook submission of financial statements onwards with the view to improve the quality of audit outcomes and general sound financial management
Both MECs handed over certificates of recognition to Bojanala District Municipality, Greater Taung and Ratlou local Municipalities for consistently submitting financial statements on time for the past three years. Bojanala and Ratlou also received certificates for obtaining unqualified audit opinion for two consecutive years.
For more information contact:
Kesalopa Gill
Tel: 018 388 3584
Cell: 079 548 6352
E-mail: kgill@nwpg.gov.za
Dineo Lolokwane
Cell: 072 542 8444
E-mail: dlolokwane@nwpg.gov.za
North West municipalities comply with Annual Financial Statements (AFS) submission deadline
Province
