By BAKANG MOKOTO
22 July 2025 – In response to the concerning findings in the 2023/24 municipal audit outcomes, the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), will this week pilot a new joint oversight model in the Free State to address persistent governance and financial underperformance in municipalities. The committee will be joined by some members from Parliament’s standing committees on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and the Auditor-General.
Led by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on COGTA, Dr Zweli Mkhize, the delegation will embark on a two-day oversight visit in collaboration with the Free State Legislature, the Office of the Premier and the provincial MEC for COGTA. Mkhize said this intervention follows a sharp regression in municipal performance.
“The Auditor-General identified the Free State as one of the worst-performing provinces, with 16 municipalities with unfunded budgets, over R4.2 billion in unauthorised expenditure, repeated disclaimer audit opinions, and widespread failure to submit financial statements on time.
“The Mangaung Metro, for example, faces going concern risks and returned R194 million in unspent grants for the 2023/24 financial year. Other issues include poor consequence management, ineffective oversight structures, uninvestigated irregular expenditure, and a decline in the quality of basic services and infrastructure,” he said.
Mkhize further said this joint oversight initiative aims to hold political and administrative leadership accountable, monitor the implementation of financial recovery plans and ensure consequences for persistent non-compliance. He added that members of the public are welcome to attend and observe the proceedings.
The Guardian 