Johannesburg - Auditor General Terence Nombembe has urged mayors and municipal managers to work together to achieve clean audits.
After meeting mayors and municipal managers at Midrand, Gauteng, on Wednesday, he said he remained convinced that local government administration problems were not insurmountable.
“All that is needed is co-ordination among stakeholders.”
The latest audit results released in July showed that 45 percent of the country's municipalities obtained financially unqualified audit reports, but with internal control concerns.
These financially unqualified audit reports were obtained only after corrections during the audit process, and with the assistance of the auditors.
The other half of the municipalities received financially qualified (18 percent) and adverse opinions or disclaimers (19 percent), while some (13 percent) had not submitted financial statements in time for auditing.
Nombembe told an SA Local Government Association (Salga) conference on Tuesday that key role players in local government should work together to come up with solutions.
“Together we have an opportunity to open the door towards clean administration in local government,” he said.
Nombembe said leaders in municipalities had to set the right tone and display good ethical conduct.
Municipalities had to get suitably qualified people to lead their charge towards clean audits, he said.
“Leadership, at all levels, needs to lead by example at all times. Those we lead will always follow what we do, so it is important that whatever municipal leaders say is what they practice honestly.” - Sapa