Beaufort West residents deserve better, says DA after damning audit findings 

The Beaufort West Municipality has been given a disclaimed audit opinion with findings.

The Auditor-General’s (AG) report, which was released on Wednesday, said extra effort and intervention were required at the municipality as well as the Kannaland and Laingsburg municipalities, which had been previously categorised as municipalities with control environments that were dysfunctional as their audit outcomes remained the same or regressed.

Wasteful expenditure still low in WC

The report stated 22 municipalities were unable to provide evidence for financial statements to the net value of R5.5 billion; among them was the ANC-led Beaufort West Municipality.

Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell said the country’s total fruitless and wasteful expenditure amounted to R3.47 billion while in the Western Cape, the amount was R9 million.

“Beaufort West Municipality is the only municipality in the Western Cape that received a disclaimed audit opinion with finding while Kannaland and Laingsburg received qualified opinions.

“The AG found it encouraging that unauthorised expenditure in the Western Cape decreased from R434 million in 2018/19 to R195 million in 2019/20, less than 1% of the national total,” he added.

Penxa needs answers

Beaufort West’s acting municipal manager, Mnyamezeli Penxa, vowed to take action against those who failed to provide the AG with the necessary information.

“We have received the report from the AG in terms of what we are doing. We are addressing all the problems in the municipality getting a disclaimer audit.

“I need an explanation from the managers regarding this, and we need to see why information was not submitted. We have made it clear that action will be taken against those who failed to provide that information.”

He said they could not afford to receive adverse reports.

“We are taking a stand, and we will address it so we can get to the root cause of the problem.”

DA Western Cape MPL Derrick America said the party would request that the AG should invoke the powers invested in her office to ensure accountability ensued.

“Residents of Beaufort West deserve far better than to have their public funds mismanaged.

“This is the same municipality that owed Eskom R29.1 million in electricity bills earlier in the year. Furthermore in 2019, Beaufort West also spent more than R2 million only to build 21 toilets.”

He added the report reflected the country’s fiscal health before that of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“According to the Public Audit Act, any accounting officer or authority has to provide proof of implementing recommendations made by the Auditor-General in the annual report, if any were given,” America said.

The ANC’s Beaufort West constituency head, Ayanda Bans, said it was sad the municipality had been awarded this finding.

“The municipality faced a number of challenges, especially the leadership instability.

“But now that we have stability in the council after the election of the new mayor, we are better placed to turn things around and serve our community.”