The public are invited to comment on the 2018/2019 Annual Report.
The closing date for the public comments is 25 February 2021.
The Council of Govan Mbeki Municipality convened on Thursday, 28 January 2021 but the council ended in chaos as the Speaker of Council decided to make rulings in contravention of the council standing orders.
The council meeting continued on Friday. It took a long time for council to start with the actual items on the agenda.
The first item on the agenda was the 2018/2019 Annual Report.
The Annual Report can be read here
The following resolutions were taken on the Annual Report:
- That it BE ACKNOWLEDGED that the 2018/2019 Audited Annual Report for the financial year ending 30 June 2019, was prepared and submitted as contemplated in Section 46 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, Act 32 of 2000, read with Chapter 12 of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, Act 56 of 2003.
- That the 2018/2019 Audited Annual Report BE APPROVED for public comments in terms of Sections 21(a) and (b) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, Act 32 of 2000, read with Section 127(5)(a)(i) of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, Act 56 of 2003.
- That it BE ACKNOWLEDGED that the public was informed of the Council meeting where this report will be considered, through notices on the various municipal notice boards, in compliance with Section 130 of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, Act 56 of 2003.
- That it BE ACKNOWLEDGED that the closing date for the submission of public comments on the
2018/2019 Audited Annual Report is the 25th of February 2021. - That the 2018/2019 Audited Annual Report BE REFERRED to the Municipal Public Accounts
Committee for scrutiny. - That once the Municipal Public Accounts Committee has finalized the detailed analysis and review of the 2018/2019 Audited Annual Report, the committee is to DRAFT an Oversight Report to BE TABLED to Council in March 2021 for adoption in terms of Section 129 of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, Act 56 of 2003.
The Bulletin obtained a copy of the Auditor-General’s report on the 2018/2019 Annual Report. Read it below:
DA Councillor and DA Caucus leader in Govan Mbeki Municipality released the following statement:
The report of the Auditor-General on the Annual Financial Statement of 2018/2019 that was presented to the Govan Mbeki Municipality council on Friday, 29 January 2021, truly paints a grim picture of the mess that this municipality finds itself in.
Despite the advice of the auditor general over the past 2 audit reports, it is disappointing but unsurprising that again our municipality has received a disclaimer of opinion.
However, shocking it was to personally hear the CFO state earlier this week that the municipality is basically in a state of insolvency and should be liquidated, it appears the council has become completely desensitized to the state of affairs that it is currently dealing with and that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Year upon year we receive this kind of audit report and pass it through the council as if we are not ashamed of the total dilapidation of this municipality that has ensued in front of our eyes during our term of office.
As the DA, we are concerned that contravention of Supply Chain Management policies, an inability to keep a record of and irregularities with transactions and tenders, the council and administration’s neglect to investigate unauthorized, fruitless and wasteful expenditure to quote a few discrepancies that were found by the Auditor General suggest gross maladministration.
Also read: Water restrictions as Rand Water demand more
Not to mention that this report is being tabled a year late due to the neglect of the municipality to produce its own audited annual report for the 2018/2019 financial year on time because of appointing an inept service provider that they eventually had to take to the high court.
The report that has been received from the Auditor General confirms that the Govan Mbeki Municipality requires urgent intervention.
If serving our people is the reason why politicians are seated in the council, then the council should be doing the conscionable thing and urging the MEC of Cogta, Mr Mandla Msibi, to dissolve the council so that the people of Govan Mbeki can have political leadership that is capable of turning around the financial situation of this municipality, root out corruption and achieve clean audits annually such as in the DA-led Midvaal municipality.
The Bulletin received no statements from any of the other political parties in this regard.
