Home Affairs must get its house in order

The Department of Home Affairs has received a qualified audit for the second year in a row, according to its 2012/13 Annual Report. In 2011, the department achieved its first unqualified audit opinion in 16 years under the leadership of Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The regression under Minister Naledi Pandor is a disappointment and requires immediate resolution. The DA will raise the qualified audit in today's scheduled Portfolio Committee meeting with the Department. We will request that a turnaround strategy be devised to deal with the matters raised by the Auditor-General (A-G). In his report the A-G stated that a "lack of adequate oversight" within the department lead to some of the following issues and the qualified audit opinion: • 75% targets not achieved; • Of the 12 drivers of internal control meant to determine the department's efficiency and effectiveness, four were "causing concern" and eight "required intervention"; • R4.2 million in irregular expenditure; • R301 million in unauthorised expenditure; and • R26 million in material losses and 7,099 lost assets written-off. This year's audit outcome undermines the progress, success, and perceived turning point of 2011's first unqualified audit. Minister Pandor must roll up her sleeves and make sure that the department does not receive its third qualified audit next year.