IEC receives first clean audit opinion in five years

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has received a clean audit opinion from the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) for the 2020-2021 financial year.

This was revealed on Tuesday during the presentation of the commission’s annual report before Parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs. This was its first clean audit in five years.

IEC chairperson Glen Mashinini and chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo led a delegation that tabled the report before the oversight committee.

Mamabolo told MPs the commission was immensely proud of the IEC’s finance team, led by chief finance officer (CFO) Dawn Mbatha.

“Our institution is ever committed to the highest levels of financial probity. This financial year was like no other in that the coronavirus pandemic continued to wreak health and economic havoc in South Africa and around the world.

“Members of staff of the electoral commission were either infected or affected by the pandemic in one way or
another,” he said.

Mashinini said the IEC prided itself over delivering credible, free, fair and successful elections, consecutive, over the past 27 years, including the recently held local government elections on 1 November.

In delivering these elections, the commission has met its constitutional obligations, Mashinini said.

“Important in any election is transparency, accountability and ethical conduct by all involved in this crucial exercise of democracy. Accountability and transparency are the main reasons we are here.

“It is important to us that the electoral commission, established in terms of section 181 of the Constitution, accounts on a regular basis to Parliament.

“In addition to appearing before this committee on a regular basis, our books are audited, on an annual basis, by the auditor-general and we are proud to disclose receiving favourable and positive audit outcomes,” he said.

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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