07 Dec 2017

Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS) like all other government departments should account for the funds allocated to the organisation.

Assistant  Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Thato Kwerepe told Parliament on Wednesday that the DIS had appeared before the Public Accounts Committee eight times since its establishment.

He said he was  not aware of any law that precludes DIS an audit.

He said that the Constitution under Section 124(2) empowers the Auditor General to audit DIS, either in person or through any person authorised by her and in that regard, the Auditor General’s office has held preliminary meetings with the DIS in preparation for the audit and it would be undertaken by senior officers within the Auditor General‘s office with the involvement of the Auditor General at various stages of the audit. 

As such, the assistant minister said  no action would be taken against the Auditor General because she was performing her duties in accordance with her employment contract.

Mr Kwerepe was responding to a question from  Gabane-Mmankgodi MP, Major General Pius Mokgware who had asked the minister if the DIS has ever been subjected to audit by the OAG and if not, was there any law that prevented or gives waiver to the DIS from audit and if there are any legal requirement that such audit be done by the officer holding the position of Auditor General and not any official of the Auditor General’s office and if so what action is the minister intending to take against the officer for not performing her duties. BOPA