In 2006, just a few days after his appointment as the Auditor-General, Terence Nombembe had this to say about clean administration: “Public sector audits go beyond merely expressing an opinion on the financial statements. When we audit the public sector, we also comment on the effectiveness of key management processes and give feedback on compliance with laws and regulations. We have to report in a manner that enables Parliament and the executive to account for how they deal with taxpayers’ mo...

The resounding public response that has been triggered by the release of our office's findings on how government is currently using external consultants, is fascinating and humbling, to say the least.

I recently had the great honour of being invited to address the special national conference of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), the umbrella body that represents, promotes and protects the interests of all the country’s municipalities. My address on the day dealt with how our municipalities are faring in the drive towards wholesale clean administration and accountability in the public sector.

This month edition of the column is based on the media statement recently released on 2010-11 PFMA audit outcomes of national and provincial departments and public entities. The 2010-11 audit outcomes of national and provincial department and public entities show a combination of imporovement, stagnation and regression as a reflection of the tone set by the national and provincial leadership.

This year has been an important one for us as the AGSA, having reached our centenary milestone. One of the themes of our celebration was a futuristic outlook, focusing on the youth. Any nation that invests in its youth makes a significant investment in its future.