MIYELANI HOLENI - CHIEF REVENUE ADVISOR, NTIYISO CONSULTING GROUP

Only 18 municipalities managed to obtain clean audits for the previous financial year, according to auditor-general Kimi Makwetu. While the majority of the municipalities that obtained clean audits were in the DA-run Western Cape, the province did regress from the 70% clean audit figure it obtained in 2016/2017, to 40% in 2017/2018. Makwetu said on Wednesday at the release of the municipal audit results that the outcomes of 63 municipalities of those audited for the 2017/2018 financial year had regressed, while only 22 improved. Only 18 municipalities managed to produce good-quality financial statements and performance reports, as well as comply with key legislation, thereby receiving a clean audit. This is a regression from the 33 municipalities that received clean audits in the previous year, Makwetu said. He said credible financial statements and performance reports were crucial to enable accountability and transparency in the government, but that most municipalities continued to fail in such areas.