uMgungundlovu District Municipality has achieved an unqualified audit opinion for the 2025 financial year but is now aiming higher, with Mayor Mzi Zuma saying the municipality is striving for a clean audit as its next milestone. Speaking about the achievement, Zuma expressed pride in the unqualified audit, calling it a sign of progress. “This achievement is exciting for us because it signifies that we are able to account for the resources entrusted to us, whether from national government through national transfers, which could be an equitable share, or conditional grants that we get either from Cogta or the Department of Water and Sanitation and other provincial transfers,” said Zuma.
“An unqualified audit is certainly a good result, but our real desired outcome is a clean audit. This is what we are working towards,” he added. Following the findings of the Auditor-General, the municipality has already put a comprehensive Audit Action Plan in place to address the areas of weakness identified.
Our internal audit team has worked on a detailed turnaround plan to focus on the areas that need improvement. We are determined to tackle these issues head-on and work towards a clean audit. “Our finances are proof, and we are fully compliant with procurement processes, ensuring there are no gaps in the system,” Zuma said.
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“This is a crucial step in building the transparency and accountability that will lead us to our clean audit goal.” One of the primary challenges the municipality faces in its quest for a clean audit is water loss, a recurring issue highlighted by the Auditor-General. Illegal water connections and deteriorating infrastructure have been major contributors. “There are people who have illegally connected themselves to our system. We need to tighten controls so that whenever an illegal connection is identified, our teams are immediately dispatched to disconnect it and prevent water losses,” Zuma said.
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