Govt orders BCC to fund State-initiated audit

GOVERNMENT has deployed a sevenmember audit team to carry out a systems audit and monitor Bulawayo City Council (BCC).

The State has also reportedly ordered the local authority to pay allowances to the auditors, although BCC did not request the audit.

Council sources told Southern Eye that the audit team is also demanding lunch and fuel, a development which is worrisome given that BCC is currently struggling to meet its obligations to the residents.

Southern Eye understands that if council requests government to conduct an audit of its books, it is expected to meet the expenses and allowances for auditors.

“In this case, where the government has initiated the move to audit council, it is the government’s responsibility to fund its team. Funding this team when it is not council's initiative to have an audit will certainly ground council service delivery. Government should simply fund its programmes and stop overburdening councils,” the source said.

In a letter dated November 1, addressed to Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube, chief director Local Authorities in the Local Government and Public Works ministry, Khonzani Ncube — acting on behalf of the secretary in the ministry — requested BCC to meet the audit team’s travel and subsistence allowances.

“In line with the ministry’s mandate of supporting the delivery of effective and efficient services in local authorities, the secretary for Local Government and Public Works appointed teams to carry out systems audits and monitoring to this effect. In this case, a team is visiting BCC to undertake the exercise for three days from November 7 to 9 and your local authority is requested to pay travel and subsistence allowances for the team in terms of a minute dated September 26,” Ncube wrote.

The audit team members are Khonzani Ncube, Mike Mazai (director rural local authorities), Alpha Nhamo (chief accountant and financial advisor), Edward Njoma (deputy director engineering public works), Kudakwashe Hlatshwayo (spatial planning), Munyaradzi Munatswa (driver) and Richmore Chimanga (provincial accounting officer, urban local authorities).

Council was provided with the auditors’ bank accounts.

“You are, therefore, kindly requested to make all necessary arrangements which enable the team to carry out this exercise, and we look forward to your usual cooperation in the facilitation of this crucial exercise,” the letter read.

Bulawayo mayor Solomon Mguni was not picking calls yesterday, while his deputy Mlandu Ncube declined to comment saying he was attending a meeting.

The team reportedly completed the audit on Wednesday, and council is yet to foot the bill.