OR Tambo District Municipality executive mayor, Mesuli Ngqondwana, said that the district municipality, which currently is one of the major contributors to irregular and wasteful expenditure in the local government sphere, was on a mission to tighten its financial control systems towards achieving a clean audit opinion.
Ngqondwana made the remarks as he delivered his maiden State of the District Address (SODA) at Port St Johns Golf Course, on October 5.
The district council did not host what would have been the maiden SODA last year following the 2021 Local Government Elections as, according to Ngqondwana, it was still dealing with the instability it inherited from the previous council.
“The district municipality has established, and strengthened, the necessary governance structures as required by legislation. The risk management committee and information and communication technology governance steering committee are operational.
“We have established the municipal disciplinary board, which is a committee dealing with financial misconduct, and it is currently busy assisting the accounting officer in processing referred matters for consequence management on financial misconduct,” said Ngqondwana.
He further praised the oversight work of the municipal public accounts committee (MPAC), led by former Mhlontlo Local Municipality mayor Nompumelelo Dywili as chairperson, in ensuring that it drives the district municipality towards achieving a clean audit opinion.
Ngqondwana also cautioned that there would be consequences for non-performance, adding that the district municipality wants a 90 percent minimum performance from both directors and political heads of municipal departments.
He also announced that the district municipality’s fraud hotline would be launched soon, to complement the developed annual risk register as part of dealing with fraud and corruption within the municipality.
Ngqondwana said that elimination of fraud and corruption were integral in their commitment to clean, efficient, and accountable administration.
Visits to service delivery projects, business fraternity engagement, awareness campaigns, and hosting a sporting tournament, were some of the build-up activities the district municipality embarked on prior to the SODA.
