The Commission shares in the Auditor-General’s frustration as a  majority of municipalities continue in failing to pay heed  to the advice and caution of his office and thus showed a deterioration in audit outcomes.
Based on the Auditor-General’s report, the number of municipalities with clean audits dropped from 48 in the 2015/16 financial year to 33. The Auditor-General’s report paints a very stark reality. It shows a deterioration in key metrics when comparing the 2016/2017 financial year with the previous 2015/2016 financial year and has found an increase in the number of municipalities receiving unqualified audit reports from a 108 to 112, whilst qualified audit outcomes increased from 60 to 66. It is clear that these municipalities are not achieving the progressive realization of the rights as envisaged in the Constitution, including in Section 184(3) which requires state organs to provide information annually on the measures that they have taken towards the realization of the rights in the Bill of Rights concerning housing, healthcare, food and water, among others.  
Billions have been lost, billions that have robbed ordinary people from receiving the most basic social services they are constitutionally entitled to. South Africa is subject to regular, violent and destructive protests due to community anger at the lack of service delivery. The SAHRC is of the view that this expression of anger by our communities can be avoided if state funds are spent in the service of ordinary South Africans, in line with the dictates of the Constitutional as indicated above.
In line with the Commission’s constitutional mandate of protecting, promoting and monitoring the attainment of human rights, the SAHRC will be engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure improved delivery of service. Among others, it has sought an audience with the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Dr Zweli Mkhize, to discuss possible solutions to a host of concerns regarding municipalities, including some of these pressing concerns.

Ends
Issued by the South African Human Rights Commission

Gail Smith – Spokesperson Tel: 060 988 3792 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gushwell Brooks – Communications Co-ordinator Tel: 082 645 8573 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.