PREMIER ZILLE WELCOMES CLEAN BILL OF FINANCIAL HEALTH FOR WESTERN CAPE

Premier Helen Zille has welcomed Auditor General Kimi Makwetu’s latest audit outcomes for the Western Cape – a clean bill of financial health.

The Western Cape received a full set of unqualified audits.

“The clean bill of financial health in the Western Cape reaffirms our commitment to building a capable state underpinned by the rule of law and accountability. We take this mandate seriously. While the current economic outlook for South Africa looks bleak due to governance and political failures, the Western Cape economy has stood out as stable, well-managed and optimal for investment,” said Premier Zille.

Ten out of the 13 provincial departments as well as the Provincial Legislature received a clean audit outcome. While the Departments of Health and Human Settlements both received unqualified audit outcomes they fell just short of achieving a full clean audit as a result of technical matters raised in respect of recording and reporting on predetermined objectives. All Public Entities received 100% clean audits on their financials.

The Department of Agriculture, which is generally considered to be the top agriculture department in the country, with a track record of clean audits and performance to support this, has yet to finalize its audit.

The Premier congratulated the team of professionals within provincial government who delivered these outstanding results. “We are managing public funds ethically, and delivering for citizens within our available resources. I encourage our departments to maintain their financial controls, while continually improving and innovating,” Premier Zille said.

Finance MEC, Dr Ivan Meyer said: “These audit results confirm that the Western Cape Government can be trusted with public funds.”

He added that robust engagements between the Provincial Treasury and departments have laid the basis for embedding good financial governance.

“The various levels of assurance bodies including the audit committees, internal audit, the auditor general and the oversight committees of parliament have all played a role in ensuring public funds are accounted for,” said Meyer.

A noteworthy aspect of the audit is that no Western Cape Government Department or entity was found to have flouted procurement legislation.

“We remain committed to a clean administration and the audit results bear not only testimony to this, but also justify the confidence the people of the Western Cape have in this government” said Meyer.

Statement issued by the Office of the Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille, 7 October 2017