Maluleke: Govt depts with largest budgets continue receiving qualified audit outcomes

Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke said government departments with the largest budgets continue to receive qualified audit outcomes, raising concerns about accountability and service delivery.

Presenting the national and provincial audit outcomes for the 2024/25 financial year, Maluleke warned that widespread non-compliance with public finance management legislation remains persistent and largely without consequence.

She flagged that departments tasked with critical service delivery, including Social Development, are among those struggling with financial management.

Maluleke said nearly 80% of government budget allocations are controlled by departments that do not demonstrate sound financial management practices; only 151 national and provincial departments are able to get clean audits.

“Many of the larger departments do not yet have clean audits. Clean audits tend to reside among smaller departments. If you look at the 151, it is encouraging that we have that number. It is slowly improving. Sixty-nine auditees have got a qualified audit opinion. This means the financial statements are not credible.