Grant Pascoe
The DA in the Western Cape tells the country that its biggest success is the “clean audits” it receives from the Auditor-General. This is presented as proof of good governance. But what does a clean audit really mean when so many failures are already on record?
The Auditor-General does not do all the audits itself. Much of the work is outsourced to private firms such as PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, EY, Nexia SAB&T, SNG Grant Thornton, Mazars, BDO, RSM, Ngubane and Co, Morar Inc, SekelaXabiso and PKF. Many of these same firms also receive tenders from the very governments they are supposed to audit. Independence is impossible under these conditions.
Tender Scandals Despite Clean Audits
The record in the Western Cape is clear. In Cape Town, tenders for firefighter PPE worth R130 million, MyCiTi contracts of R1.3 billion and a Table Mountain maintenance deal of R500 million have all been questioned. In the Provincial Government, forensic reports flagged inflated school infrastructure costs, compromised road projects and COVID-19 procurement stretched beyond its true purpose. In districts, Overstrand’s R280 million wastewater project raised questions over credentials, Cape Winelands drought relief funds were mishandled, and Garden Route tourism contracts went to connected parties. In local municipalities, tenders in Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Mossel Bay and Swartland all showed patterns of manipulation, insider beneficiaries and misuse of emergency funds. Yet despite these findings, the audits still came out clean.
George is the clearest example. Forensic reports confirmed irregularities and attempts to hide unlawful spending, yet George still received clean audits. This proves the system measures compliance on paper while ignoring reality on the ground.
Why Clean Audits Don’t Mean Good Governance
A clean audit does not mean good governance. It only confirms that financial records are in order according to accounting rules. It does not test whether tenders are corrupt, whether projects are delivered or whether the public benefits. When firms that do business with municipalities are also allowed to audit them, independence collapses.
The questions are simple. Why does the Auditor-General allow this? Why does National Treasury not close the conflict of interest? And how can the public trust “clean audits” while irregular tenders and forensic reports keep piling up?
Until this system changes, clean audits will remain a slogan, not a guarantee of accountability. The people of the Western Cape and South Africa deserve audits that protect them, not politicians.
