Note to editors: Please find attached an English soundbite by Cllr Thabo Nthapo.
The communities of Letsemeng Local Municipality are still awaiting the audit report, which the council resolved to table by 31 March. However, as of now, there has been no indication of when this will occur.
The delay in tabling the audit report stems from various challenges. Auditors faced difficulties in completing their assessment of Letsemeng’s books on time due to office closures and a strike led by Letsemeng employees. This strike was triggered by the controversial decision to suspend the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), which caused discontent among employees.
Despite the council’s decision to postpone the tabling of the report to 31 March, this date has passed without any communication from Mayor Bonolo Mocwaledi regarding the report’s status. The audit report is vital for transparency on how municipal finances are managed and serves as a tool for the community to hold this municipality to account.
To address this issue, we will exert pressure on the acting Municipal Manager, Chris Mokomela, to clarify when the auditor general’s report will be released and why it was not tabled according to the council’s resolution.
We believe that the delay in releasing the report may not be satisfactory to the ANC, hence their silence on the matter.