Auditor-General of South Africa’s provincial head runs tight ship

A successful and effective auditor has to have a sharp eye for detail and remain focused on the task at hand without fear or favour, reckoned Nthanyi Dhumazi, provincial business executive of the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) in Limpopo when she was interviewed with a focus on Women’s Month last Thursday.
Dhumazi manages almost 200 permanent employees and trainees that are responsible for the auditing of government departments and municipalities and their entities, and she indicated that approximately 50% of the staff members are women.
“Our executive management committee also has over 50% female representation,” she added. Dhumazi also mentioned that the AGSA has the largest chartered accountants training programme of all audit firms and that care is taken to ensure that 50% of all trainees and bursary holders are female. “We train auditors to be absorbed in our offices after they have completed their studies, but also to contribute to the larger industry – both the public and private sectors,” she explained.
Dhumazi said that, as a leader, she strives to create an environment that is conducive to effectiveness and productivity. “Auditors should maintain a sound relationship with the people they are auditing but remain impartial and professional. We strive to produce quality audits and reports that enable those we audit to effect good governance systems. An auditor must be able to collect information that provides value,” she added.
Dhumazi said that the goal of the AGSA is to ensure that public funds are utilised according to financial guidelines and prescripts. “After audits, we engage with those we audit (auditees) to assist with the drafting of audit action plans to ensure better audit outcomes”, she added.
Asked about the challenges she faces in her role, she said, “Every job has its challenges but we deal with them as they come. Ours is to tirelessly ensure that taxpayers’ monies are used for what they were allocated for, and this can only happen when there are good governance and strong oversight systems in the public sector.”
Dhumazi reckons that accounting is a profession of preference for hard-working and focused young women saying, “You must know what you want, otherwise you will be doing what others want you to do.” “Hard work and dedication are the secret to success.”
She is married and the mother of two teenagers. “I spend my spare time with my family and enjoy to treat them to a home-cooked meal over weekends. I also go to the gym and read a lot, especially publications on leadership,” she concluded.

Story/photo: BARRY VILJOEN
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