WC Government confirms best audit outcomes in 5 years

Joint Media Release: WC Government confirms best audit outcomes in 5 years with 100% of departments and entities receiving unqualified audits in 2022/23

Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, together with the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, confirmed today that each of the 14 Western Cape provincial Departments, as well as each of its 11 entities, achieved unqualified audits in the 2022/23 financial year.

These are the best audit outcomes received by Western Cape Government (WCG) departments and entities combined, in five years.

“We do not action good governance for the sake of it. We do it because this is how we improve our service delivery. These audit outcomes are the tangible result of the WCG’s drive for clean governance, because it is the bedrock on which the service delivery needs of our residents rest.” said Premier Winde.

“These outcomes are clear and indisputable evidence that endorse our culture of ethical governing. It reflects this Government’s continued commitment to financial discipline and good governance so that we can stretch every available Rand to really deliver for the people of the province,” said Minister Wenger.

“By using funds in a responsible, transparent manner we demonstrate our commitment to our citizens. These results also show that we are a partner that you can do business with and is one of the reasons the WCG has had great success in the number of local, national international partnerships and funding agreements that we have and are forging. Our partners and investors have confidence that money will be spent where it is meant to be spent. Ultimately people want to do business in the Western Cape because our provincial government works in the best interests of residents.

The Auditor-General (AG) classifies audit outcomes into several categories, namely unqualified, qualified, adverse and disclaimer. The best outcome possible from the AG is an unqualified audit without findings (clean audit), with unqualified with findings also being classified as desirable.

Minister Wenger continued: “While these results are sadly unprecedented in South Africa, it does show that, with the appropriate financial systems in place and with a relentless focus on ensuring accountability and transparency, we can work together, account properly for every cent, and ultimately make sure public money is spent for the maximum benefit of the residents we serve.”

In recent years, provincial safety, wellbeing, and jobs data showed distinctive improvements, supporting the undeniable link between clean governance that translates to better service delivery:

Crime down

• Relevant indicators show a decrease in key crimes
• In the fourth quarter of 2022/23, the incidence of crime in Robbery at residential premises (-17.3 per cent), Sexual offences (-2.4 per cent), and Murder (-12.1 per cent) were lower than the average incidence of crimes recorded between the fourth quarter of 2018/19 and the fourth quarter of 2022/23

Education up

• Relevant indicators show an improvement in key education outcomes
• 2022 Western Cape systemic testing results showed positive gains, with improvements made in the Foundation Phase and advances in the other grades
• 55% of matric candidates achieved a bachelor’s pass, up from 40.2%

Wellbeing up

• Relevant indicators show an improvement in public health outcomes
• The number of public-employed doctors per 100 000 people has grown from 43.4 in 2013/14 to 45.9 in 2022/23
• Human Development Index: the province has improved from 0.61 to 0.74 over the last 20 years
• Since 2020/21, the Department of Health and Wellness has embraced an innovative community-oriented primary care (COPC) framework focused on outreach programmes and efficient medicine delivery. The services include home delivery of chronic medication and tele-health care, which reduced healthcare facility visits, and enables more people to be helped

Employment up

• Between the second quarter of 2022 and the second quarter of 2023, 368 000 jobs were created in the Western Cape. That is a 15.7% increase in employed people year-on-year, well ahead of all other provinces.

Minister Wenger added that: “Good governance also signals to investors and to businesses that they can trust the WCG, and that their businesses are in good hands in this province. We are on a mission to attract more investment and stimulate business start-ups and expansion. This is at the heart of our economic action plan, Growth for Jobs, which aims to enable breakout economic growth that creates many more jobs in the province and South Africa.”

“This commitment to good governance is also a commitment to our residents that when you interact with this government you will be treated fairly and justly, and that we will not tolerate corruption and unequal treatment. Our audit results are proof that we are working hard every day to live up to that commitment and the high standards we are set to constantly do better. Even as we prepare to face significant headwinds as a result of the imminent national fiscal crisis, I know that we will continue to innovate and work smarter with our resources to keep building on our long-running track record of good governance and fairness.” continued Premier Winde.

“I’d like to thank and congratulate my Cabinet colleagues, all Heads of Departments, accounting officers as well as our Provincial treasury officials who work hand-in-hand with our entities and departments to achieve these outcomes. These impressive results are the outcome of hard work, and a deep commitment to implementing and adhering to sound financial practices, for the benefit of the residents of the Western Cape” concluded Minister Wenger.