Former Mayor ‘beaming over clean audit report’ for Endumeni Municipality

Despite a dramatic five years while he was Mayor which saw the sacking of senior managers, the suspension of the municipal manager, marches and related drama, Thulani Mahaye, is smiling.
A preliminary report from the Auditor General shows that the Endumeni Council has earned it’s first ‘clean audit report’. The official results of the 2015/16 municipal audits still have to be confirmed.
But the preliminary report has been enough for Mr Mahaye, who now serves on the executive committee of the new Council, to say that he is very proud.
“This is the first time we have earned a clean audit. That is the best report a municipality can receive. For the previous four years, Endumeni received an unqualified report. I would like to thank the previous ANC-led Council for their support and determination in making this a reality. It shows that despite difficulties we led this municipality out of the dangerous waters and into a fully functional entity.”

Mr Mahaye said ‘his Council had also held similar ‘strat-plans’ but these were always held locally to keep costs down’.

He also lauded the Audit Committee of Dr Patrick Mawila, Tubby Narandes and Zulu Zwile who played an oversight role to make the ‘clean audit a reality’.
“Despite all those hardships you referred to while I was Mayor from 2011 to 2016, we did bring about political stability in line with the national policy as espoused by the State President.” Asked about the fall-out over the Council’s Strategic Planning Meeting held over four days at Vulintaba Resort outside Newcastle last week (which Mr Mahaye and both DA Councillors did not attend), Mr Mahaye said ‘his Council had also held similar ‘strat-plans’ but these were always held locally to keep costs down’.
“Of course we will use our experience to ensure that this Council also maintains the clean audit status for the good of our town.”
Response from Audit Committee
In his response, Dr Patrick Mawila chairman of the Audit Committee said the ‘opinion by the Auditor General is an indicator of good governance and an assurance of compliance with the relevant legislative and legal requirements.
“It must be said that for most of the period in question the management worked on a skeleton administration with few acting personnel and vacant positions. For them to have achieved a clean audit under those circumstances. is commendable. Council at the time played a very important role in their oversight role, an activity least spoken about. The consistency of the Audit Committee in performing its advisory and watchdog function was indeed a telling point. I must say it had become inevitable that a clean audit would be achieved.
“We are very proud of this achievement and wish those coming in to preserve the clean audit opinion. In our respective comfortable spaces, we celebrate this achievement as we understand it doesn’t come easy. I would like to thank the management for their cooperation and the council for entrusting us with this function. My gratitude also goes to Zulu Zwile and Tubby Narandes for their unwavering dedication in their audit committee functions. This’s an achievement to be celebrated and those who made effects should be proud of, then we can stop celebrating mediocracy. I wish the new brigade well and hope they will stay true to the deliverance of services to the people of Endumeni.”