Nombembe says govt intervention was necessary

"Intervention can come from many areas, but it says there are consequences for the messages that emerge from audit results. We always welcome it as it strengthens the institutional ability of departments to do the right thing," he told BusinessLIVE/I-Net Bridge on Monday at the Institute of Internal Auditors Public Affairs Forum.

He said intervention offered support and helped stabilise the quality of the systems of governance. "And then you move out and leave a stable government."

SA's national government intervened in the Limpopo, Free State and Gauteng provincial governments in December last year after reports of near collapse.

Nombembe is on his way to Limpopo on Tuesday - one of the provincial governments receiving the most attention from the national intervention process - to award two clean audits to departments. He says the aim is to support these local structures and to ensure the basics are not neglected.

Process not yet over

The process is not over yet as Nombembe wants to see the improved environment sustained well into the future, which is where the new internal control "dashboard" comes into the picture.

He explained that this leadership dashboard started rolling out to departments two years ago and it implemented a more formal checklist process that put leadership at the centre of the sustainability of government.

SA has 284 municipalities, of which only 13 received clean audits, but that is up from only four three years ago and only seven a year ago.

"We are seeing very encouraging progress. If you speak to the leaders, all you hear is the amount of confidence in getting to grips with what it takes to get clean audits," he said.

Capacity in terms of human resources in one of the key areas in the checklist system - meaning an improved focus on up-skilling departments.

"Leadership loves it - it simplifies things in an amazing way and gives early warning signals - it is like a driver's license - you may not have the technical knowledge to fix the car but can drive and will know when something is wrong," he concluded.