Chairperson, comrades and hon members, on behalf of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts I wish to present to the House the second to eleventh reports of the committee. These are reports on the Auditor-General's report on annual reports and the financial statements of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa; the Department of Correctional Services; the Department of Labour; the Public Service Commission; the National Agricultural Marketing Council; the SA Agency for Promotion of Petroleum Exploration and Exploitation; the SA Housing Fund; Energy Africa Rehabilitation; International Frontier Technologies; and the Council for Mineral Technology.
Of these, only the Department of Correctional Services had a qualified audit opinion. This remains of great concern to us as a committee, because the department seems unable to get itself out of a qualification. Even though there has been improvement over the years, the qualification issues remain grave. These include issues about employment and contracts; human resource management, especially leave and overtime management; asset management; and expenditure management, especially those related to irregular expenditure, as well as fruitless and wasteful expenditure. Going forward, we think it is important for us, as a committee, to confer with our comrades in the portfolio committee on how to correct this, because it just cannot continue like this.
The Department of Labour and Icasa received unqualified audit opinions, but there are serious matters that, if left unattended, will lead to a qualification. Of concern, among others, are expenditure; performance management; and procurement, that is, supply chain management policy compliance. We are hopeful because Icasa, in communication with its leadership, appears to be making progress, as has been the case with the Department of Labour.
We are not just harbingers of bad news. It has always been our practice and our desire to present to the House those departments and entities that are exemplary in their performance. The seven entities mentioned above have clean audits, that is, there are no material findings by the Auditor- General in respect of their compliance with laws and regulations. These are the Public Service Commission; the National Agricultural Marketing Council; the SA Agency for Promotion of Petroleum Exploration and Exploitation; the SA Housing Fund; Energy Africa Rehabilitation; International Frontier Technologies; and the Council for Mineral Technology.
I present these reports to the House for adoption, but before I leave the podium, I must thank my comrades in the committee. We work together in a very collective spirit, and the same goes to our administrative staff for their hard work, which has seen the committee succeed in fulfilling its mandate. I thank you. [Applause.]
There was no debate.
Chairperson, I move:
That the Reports be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Second Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of Department of Labour accordingly adopted.
Third Report on Report of Auditor-General on Annual Reports and Financial Statements of Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, 2011-12 Financial Year accordingly adopted.
Fourth Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of Department of Correctional Services accordingly adopted.
Fifth Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of SA Agency for Promotion of Petroleum Exploration and Exploitation (Pty) Ltd accordingly adopted.
Sixth Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of Public Service Commission accordingly adopted.
Seventh Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of Council for Mineral Technology, Mintek, accordingly adopted.
Eighth Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of Energy Africa Rehabilitation accordingly adopted.
Ninth Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of International Frontier Technologies, Interfront, SCO Ltd accordingly adopted.
Tenth Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of National Agricultural Marketing Council accordingly adopted.
Eleventh Report on Report of Auditor-General on 2011-12 Financial Statements of SA Housing Fund accordingly adopted.