Tshwane metro is celebrating after being recognised as the 1st runner-up in the municipal audit awards for reducing unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure by 21% for the 2023/24 financial year.
The second municipal audit awards were hosted by the SA Local Government Association, in Johannesburg, to recognise and celebrate municipalities in Gauteng for their exemplary financial management and adherence to Municipal Finance Management Act.
The City of Ekurhuleni scooped two awards for reducing unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, including implementing consequence management.
Tshwane chairperson of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (Mpac) Section 79, Kholofelo Morodi, said the news that the City had received the accolade came after the committee successfully passed several reports addressing irregular expenditure.
Morodi said: “I see this award as a significant milestone in our committee’s pursuit of financial excellence and ethical governance. This achievement is not just a testament to the diligent work of our finance and oversight teams but also a reflection of the collective effort and dedication of all our municipal staff, leadership, and stakeholders.”
She said the award bestowed on the City affirmed its unwavering commitment to fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability.
Mpac noted that reducing their unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure by 21% required rigorous internal controls, meticulous financial management, and a relentless pursuit of ethical practices.
“Under the leadership of Morodi, Mpac has placed significant emphasis on these aspects to ensure that every rand of public funds is utilised efficiently and effectively for the betterment of our community,” the committee said.
Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink, said: “Our administration has now been in office for one year and three months, and one of our top priorities, along with improving basic service delivery, has always been to stabilise the City’s finances and to clean up our audit outcomes.”
Brink said he was pleased that the work and systems put in place by his administration were starting to bear results.
He said the City also bagged an award as the first runner-up for utilising municipal grants and service delivery at 84%.
“To improve on this recognition, we expect utilisation of grants and spending on capital expenditure for the 2023/24 financial year to reach more than 90%, as we demonstrate the City’s ability and commitment to spend grants on infrastructure development in order to improve service delivery,” he said.
The City was also recognised with an award for the most improved revenue collection and debt management, which was at 92%.
Brink said: “Although there were noticeable signs of improvement, residents should note that we continue to work hard to achieve our benchmark target of 95% revenue collection.”
Pretoria News