Msunduzi Municipality mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla said the unqualified audit outcome was evidence of the work being done to turn around the municipality. The announcement that the Msunduzi Municipality has received an unqualified audit opinion from the Auditor-General of South Africa has triggered sharp political disagreement, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) warning that the outcome masks deep-rooted governance and service delivery failures. In a media statement issued on Wednesday, Msunduzi Municipality welcomed the audit outcome, describing it as confirmation of improved financial reporting, governance, and internal controls.
The municipality said the Auditor-General found that its financial statements were “free from material misstatements, reflecting credible, reliable and transparent reporting.” Councillor Mzimkhulu Thebolla hailed the outcome as evidence of progress, stating that “the unqualified audit opinion is a clear indication that the municipality is turning the corner.” “This unqualified audit opinion confirms that the hard work undertaken by council and management over the years is producing results,” Thebolla said. “It tells us that our financial statements are credible, that we are governing within the law, and that our vision of achieving a clean audit is firmly within reach.” However, the municipality acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly around expenditure management and delayed creditor payments beyond the legislated 30-day period. These issues, it said, have been incorporated into its Audit Action Plan, with targeted interventions under way to strengthen financial discipline and cash flow management.
Despite these assurances, the DA has rejected the audit outcome as a misleading reflection of the municipality’s actual condition. In a statement, DA Msunduzi caucus leader Councillor Ross Strachan said the audit improvement was largely technical and disconnected from the daily experiences of residents. “While the DA acknowledges this technical improvement, the reality on the ground tells a very different story,” Strachan said.
Read Full Article on The Mercury
