In a statement, the chairperson for Scopa, Job Dliso, says the committee could not recognise the seconded Municipal Manager of Madibeng and resolved to not go ahead with the public hearing for the 2020/21 audit report of Madibeng Local Municipality. This was after informing the committee that the department failed to follow secondment processes to appoint the acting accounting officer.

Meanwhile, the Acting Head of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Mamorena Moloko, confirmed before the Committee that the seconded accounting officer was not appointed as per the departmental secondment policy. Moloko explained that the acting Municipal Manager was chosen from their database and proper processes were not followed as she is not in the public service. Processes were also not followed in seconding officials to municipalities and other local government entities as part of intervention mechanisms.

Dliso said the issue of departments not following their own policies to appoint personnel through secondment measures is now a trend and it is illegal and irregular.

“We also cannot be seen as a Standing Committee that legitimises wrongfulness within our municipalities by departmental officials who are not following the law to the letter, by appointing individuals who are not even working for the government, as prescribed by various pieces of legislation. The department must correct the issue and ensure that whoever is properly appointed can implement the municipality’s post-audit action plan to the letter. Scopa will never abdicate its role of ensuring that there is compliance with legislation, therefore the department and the municipality must adhere to the law,” he said.

According to Dliso, the Madibeng’s Local Municipality’s audit report for the 2020/21 financial year remained unchanged with disclaimer audit outcomes based on material limitations obtained on the annual financial statements, and that unauthorised, irregular, and fruitless expenditure incurred as a result of the contravention of supply chain management processes and litigation. The report further indicated that there has been an overreliance on consultants at the municipality to assist with the compilation of annual financial statements and the asset registers but there is no value for money.

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