Having affordable audit fees without impeding the Auditor-General's constitutional mandate and preventing the misuse of funding through a direct charge is necessary. To this end, the 2018 Public Audit Amendment Act provides for the Auditor-General to consult the National Treasury on the scope, nature and frequency of audits. The Auditor-General and the National Treasury must agree on the annual date of such consultation, the criteria to determine if a municipality or public entity