South Africa News
AG Tsakani Maluleke says she cannot complete audits by due date because of Covid-19
Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke told Parliament the delays by her office to complete the auditing of national and provincial departments last month, was due to Covid-19.
This was revealed in a letter she wrote to former National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise late last month.
The legislated due date for the submission of audit reports is July 31 annually, with national and provincial departments having submitted their financial statements for auditing by May 31.
Malukele said owing to the challenges of auditing under the Covid-19 circumstances, her office was unable to meet the statutory deadline this year.
“This is mainly due to the significant impact of the rise in infections during the third wave of the pandemic and the recent unrest and protest action in some provinces at a time when we should have been finalising our audits.
However, we do not wish to compromise on the application of the required diligence and care during our audit process,” she said.
Maluleke explained that they anticipated that some audits would be signed off by August 31 and some even later, instead of July 31 as legislated.
“We are endeavouring to sign off the mentioned audit reports as soon as possible so as not to negatively affect the oversight processes,” she said. Maluleke’s office has already notified affected departments and entities, prompting them to notify Parliament about the pending non-compliance.
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is among those who have wasted no time in notifying Parliament. Mkhwebane’s office confirmed that the 2020/21 audit report would be issued by next month.
“The PPSA therefore commits to tabling its annual report for 2020/21 to the National Assembly no later than 15 September 2021,” Mkhwebane wrote in her letter dated August 5.
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has also followed suit, explaining the reasons for the delay in the submission of the annual report of the department and some of their entities.
Creecy explained that her department complied and submitted its financial statements by May 31, and that Maluleke had on June 30 informed them of a delay in finalising the audit owing to various factors.
She also said the year 2020 had been a challenging one as the department could not operate at 100% capacity due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
“The number of Covid-positive cases, in particular front-line staff working with the AG at the DFFE in Cape Town and Pretoria, has directly impacted on the audit in that we lost a number of days as the offices had to be closed or staff from the DFFE and AG had to go into self-isolation,” she said.
Creecy also said Maluleke was unable to finalise audited financial statements of the South African National Parks, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the Marine Living Resources Fund.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has also informed Parliament that his department received a notification from Maluleke alerting the national department and some of its public entities of the delays in finalising the audit process.
Mthethwa said his department and 13 entities would not be able to table their annual reports within the prescribed time frame.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi also wrote, saying that Maluleke had informed the director-general of her office’s inability to conclude the audit report within the prescribed two-month period owing to some challenges linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source: IOL
In other news – AKA’s baby mama DJ Zihle, pregnant with Murda Bongz’s child – Video
Award-winning DJ Zinhle is pregnant and fans and friends can’t contain their excitement. The businesswoman is dating award-winning producer Bongani Mohosana who is best known as Murda Bongz of Black Motion.
She sure knows how to surprise fans and followers. While there have been rumours circulating that she might be expecting, she wanted to reveal it her own way. Learn more
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called for transparency, accountability and the elimination of unnecessary expenditures to cut down on the cost of governance in the country. Akpabio made the call on Monday at a one-day dialogue on the cost of governance in Nigeria organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, in Abuja.
Akpabio, who was represented by Sen. Agom Jarigbe (PDP-Rivers) highlighted the possible factors contributing to the high cost of governance in the country.He said the size of the country’s bureaucracy, the escalating public service wage bills, the overhead costs of appointed public officials, and the salaries and allowances of elected officials are major factors.
According to him, the running of government institutions among other substantial components contributed to weighing down the economy and hindering development efforts. Let us hold ourselves accountable and take responsibility for the betterment of our nation. We have to ensure that our government operates efficiently and effectively, serving the needs of the people and fostering sustainable development,” he said.
The president of the senate emphasized the need to streamline bureaucracy, eliminate unnecessary expenditures, and ensured transparency and accountability at all levels of governance. We must invest in our human capital, empowering our public officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive progress.
“And we must foster a culture of innovation and creativity, where new ideas can flourish and transform our nation,” he said.Akpabio urged all Nigerians to remain united, become agents of change and be committed to making sacrifices for the nation. He said that the 10th Assembly was ready to partner with all stakeholders to do everything within its constitutional powers to make Nigeria for all citizens.
Source: pmnewsnigeria
In other news – Bad leaders making the life of Nigerians miserable – Pastor Giwa
The senior pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, on Sunday, lamented that the economic situation in Nigeria has gone from bad to worse under President Bola Tinubu.
The clergyman noted that bad leaders were intentionally making life miserable for Nigerians. Read more
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Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal. Manchester City and Arsenal handed Liverpool the advantage in the Premier League title race as they played out a bitterly disappointing goalless stalemate at Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool are now top of the table and two points clear of Arsenal after they came from behind to beat Brighton at Anfield, their delight increased by their two closest rivals cancelling each other out.
This was a game that made a nonsense of its billing as a potential classic, as Arsenal’s containing tactics snuffed out City while the Gunners had only limited chances of their own in a desperately poor affair.
Nathan Ake had an early close-range header saved by Arsenal keeper David Raya before going off injured while former City striker Gabriel Jesus posed an occasional threat, just failing to connect with Bukayo Saka’s cross inches from goal after the break.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be happier than City counterpart Pep Guardiola with this outcome – but the real winners were Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
Guardiola’s side were under greater pressure to win this match but their usual fluent passing game was rarely in evidence, stifled by the visitors’ organisation and infuriated by referee Anthony Taylor’s reluctance to punish the Gunners for a succession of infringements.
It led to a scrappy, disjointed game in which City were never allowed to gather their usual momentum and rhythm, with even the best efforts of master creators Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva unable to carve out meaningful opportunities for Erling Haaland, who was kept on the margins throughout.
The hosts held sway in possession for most of the second half but it was illustrative of the game that Raya barely had an anxious moment, his counterpart Stefan Ortega also idle for long periods.
Indeed, it is the first time City have failed to score at home in the Premier League since October 2021, a run of 47 games.
The reigning champions, as usual, will remain confident of retaining their title but Guardiola will be bitterly disappointed at his side’s failure to trouble Arsenal, with substitute Jack Grealish on the end of some lengthy post-match advice from his manager.
City are back here at Etihad Stadium to face in-form Aston Villa on Wednesday night knowing they cannot afford any more slip-ups in this tight Premier League title pursuit.
Arsenal arrived at Manchester City with a point to make and a chance to show their improvement at a ground where they have had a miserable record in the past.
The Gunners last won here in January 2015, drawing one and losing eight of their subsequent nine visits before this game.
Here, Arteta set his side out to be fiercely drilled and well-organised to frustrate, a strategy seemingly designed to earn the point they secured rather than risk more for victory.
It was a conservative approach but what it did demonstrate was that Arsenal do have more resilience and character than on previous occasions, when they have sometimes capitulated under City’s attacking assault.
Arteta’s side were composed but also willing to throw bodies on the line when danger threatened, not that they were ever in serious peril of conceding – a tribute to their display in itself.
They have kept clean sheets in both games against Manchester City this season, making them only the fourth team to shut out a Guardiola side twice in the same season.
Whether this is one point gained or two lost remains to be seen, but Arteta seemed satisfied enough at the final whistle.
source – BBC