Parliament calls for tighter security for auditor-general staff
AG staff members have had to face a hostage situation‚ threats from municipal officials, being shot at and attempted bribery
Parliament’s standing committee on the auditor-general (AG) has called for increased security for AG staff to ensure the effective implementation of the recently passed Public Audit Amendment Bill (PAAB). In a letter sent to the committee in October, auditor-general Kimi Makwetu detailed instances of intimidation that auditors faced in municipalities of Emfuleni‚ Tshwane‚ Madibeng and Moretele. He said some staff members have had to face a hostage situation‚ threats from municipal officials and have even been shot at. Some municipal officials attempted to bribe AG staff to alter adverse audit findings. Makwetu said the instances of intimidation deserve national attention‚ even though the office of the AG will still work with the local and provincial governments in question. “In a number of municipalities, people are getting uncomfortable with the rigour with which audits are being conducted,” Makwetu said on Friday as he briefed the standing committee on the threats. National police...
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