Forensic audit for Mutale, asks DA

Date: 02 April 2015 By: Kaizer Nengovhela

The Mutale Municipality has returned an estimated R31 million that was underspent during the last financial year to the national treasury.

According to the report of the auditor general (AG) released last year, the municipality underspent R1million of their national lottery grant, R24 million of the disaster management grant as well as their operational and maintenance grant of R6 698 025.

The municipality has also failed to compile their financial reports for auditing and paid more than R890 000 to independent consultants to compile the report, which was not budgeted for.

Mr Joseph Mariba, a DA councillor in Mutale, said the municipality had also been operating without a cooperate director for services for the past 11 months. He said it was clear that the municipality had not achieved its objectives of providing services to the community and therefore an urgent intervention was needed by the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA).

“We urge MEC Makoma Makhurupetje to implement the AG’s recommendations of holding officials accountable for poor performance and transgressions of legislation and to appoint competent and skilled officials in the finance unit. We also need the MEC to establish a forensic audit to probe the financial affairs of Mutale Municipality,” said Mariba.

The spokesperson for COGHSTA, Motupa Selomo, said their task was to monitor, evaluate and give support to municipalities. He said COGHSTA was spearheading the “Back to basics campagn” where service delivery should go to the people.

“Where there is no water, the municipality must provide, and where there are no access roads, the municipality should make sure that they are building them for the benefit of the people. We also capacitate municipality to do well in their finances, so we will monitor Mutale’s financial matters,” said Motupa. 
 

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Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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