Cape Town - Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke has reiterated that they will be auditing the finances as quickly as possible for relief floods in KwaZulu-Natal and the first report could be released by August.
Maluleke was briefing members of the standing committee on the auditor-general who posed questions on measures being taken to stop corruption in funds disbursed for the province.
The province was affected by floods in April which left more than 450 people dead and 40 000 displaced.
The auditor-general’s appearance before the committee comes a week after she wrote to the Speaker confirming that she will release her report by August.
This followed detailed planning and collaboration with departments and entities.
Maluleke told the committee that they will do their best to ensure they speed up their work to prevent malfeasance.
“When is the report likely to come out, the work has already begun. We aim to have a report that we will start talking about in the public domain certainly by August.
“I hope that that date will remain but certainly that is what we are planning on. We have taken note that Parliament has established the ad hoc committee and I suppose that that will be an important platform for us to engage on this work in a great deal of detail,” said Maluleke.
She said they will share their findings with the Presidency and other role players.
When she was auditing the Covid-19 PPE (personal protective equipment) tender corruption her reports were also given to the Presidency and then made public.
“We will share these insights with the Presidency and other players. The oversight mechanism comprises the National Treasury, the DPME (the Department of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation) as announced by the Presidency and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. We will share this information with them on a timely basis so that they can digest the news and that is provided for in the Public Audit Act,” she said.
They will go for provincial departments and municipalities that are handling funds for social relief and other measures to rebuild KZN.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Political Bureau