07 Apr 2022

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson has called for implementation of recommendations highlighted in the 2017/2019 and 2018/2019 performance audit reports.
Presenting the report for approval by Parliament, the PAC chairperson, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse said the accounts examined by the report included the annual statements of accounts and the special funds accounts.

Mr Keorapetse pointed that the audits indicated that the problem of construction projects costs and time overruns was still prevalent in most of government projects.
“The common problems in execution of projects identified by the committee were poor project management by ministries, lack of commitment to perform by mainly local contractors, failure to take action against non-performing contractors, litigation, especially by those that query the evaluation process in tenders, poor preparation and planning of pre tender, as well as change in scope by client ministries,” Mr Keorapetse said.

He said recommendations from the committee were that the oversight of planning and delivery of projects should be improved.
He further said the other problem identified by the audit was the irrecoverable or slow moving debt due to lack of monitoring and failure to carry out regular reconciliations.
He said the debts included items that dated more than 20 years back.

“Example being the non-moving advances, which include the Grant or Loan Scheme in the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research Science and Technology and the balances of overpayments of salaries and training borne liabilities under education and health ministries,” he said.
Mr Keorapetse said the committee recommended that such ministries should be encouraged to improve collectability of debts.
He further said the committee recommended that action should be taken against officers who failed to take prompt action to recover government money.
Another problem, he said, identified by the audit, was losses due to accidents involving government vehicles.

“We have recommended that government should consider insuring its fleet,” said the legislator.
He added that the committee also recommended that the Ministry of Health and Wellness should take measures to improve supply of medical supplies in health facilities.
Further, he said the committee recommended that there should be secure tenure of the heads of oversight institutions.

Commenting on the report, Jwaneng/Mabutsane MP, Mr Mephato Reatile said special audits should not only focus on government ministries, but should also target parastatals.
Mahalapye West MP, Mr David Tshere said issues identified by the report such as projects overruns, uncollected debts and shortage of drugs, should be addressed.
He suggested that Parliament should be empowered to carry out enquiries on some of the issues raised in the report.

Lentsweletau/Mmopane MP, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja said poor performance of projects by contractors should be looked at closely because it resulted in wastage of a lot of government funds and held back some development projects. She said systems and processes should be fine-tuned to address challenges.
Palapye MP, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi called for the Auditor General to be empowered to take action against accounting officers that failed to implement recommendations of the PAC audit reports.
Parliament  approved the report. ENDS