DA hides serious shortcomings
The DA's denial of the cold facts is stunning as it ignores the real problems and selectively tells the truth on the outcomes of the Auditor General's (AG) reports for 2012/13.
The usual deception and spin by the DA propaganda machine does not take away that in the Western Cape provincial government the majority, namely 9, of the 14 departments/votes could not get a clean audit report!
No easy claim of victory can cover up the very frank language in which the AG described the many shortcomings in the province that prevents it from getting a clean bill of health.
Overall the DA may prefer to claim improvement, but the AG noted a "decline" in the quality of performance reports, "stagnation" of leadership (explained as it did not react to problems, addressed matters significantly, no core improvement and that key areas regressed), that management was "slow" to respond ("a major challenge at 38% of those audited") and "instability" due to vacancies in vital positions as "widespread root causes" that need to be addressed. There was also noted that half of the senior management, accounting officers and political leaders could not fully "provide assurances".
ANC chief whip in the Western Cape legislature Pierre Uys says: "The glossed over image given by the DA points only to some favourable parts of the reports, is not telling the whole truth. The truth in writing by the AG in the reports is damning. It tells the tale of many failures.
"The DA's version is serving the gravy without the meat. That is misinformation as it hides the truth. The truth is there is still a lot of work needed and it is not done."
Premier Helen Zille may pat herself on the back, but here is what the AG said of the Department of the Premier (Zille): The report still has "findings" and it calls the outcomes "stagnation" as it is the same for the third consecutive year; the "drivers of key controls not improving" includes the "regression" in leadership and that the premier and her accounting officer (director general Brent Gerber) provide "some assurances"; the quality of performance reports "regressed", identified causes include "key officials lack appropriate competencies" and "slow response by management".
In an AG briefing of the premier's department mention was made that there is a difference between information and outcomes, supplied documents did not support accuracy and significant areas need improvement - such as asset control. (In the written report submitted to the legislature, the AG mentions assets of more than R2 million got lost or stolen as it could not be accounted for!) Deficiencies were not addressed despite repeated requests.
"The ANC implores the DA to speak only the whole truth," Uys added.
Statement issued by ANC Chief Whip Pierre Uys, October 17 2013
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