Durban – What was supposed to be a normal annual general meeting (AGM) of the Association of Public Accounts Committees (Apac) turned sour when members refused to accept a shoddy report, including an annual financial report from the outgoing executive committee.
Apac is an organisation of Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) and similar public accounts committees of the country’s nine provincial legislatures.
Scopa is regarded as one of the most senior committees in legislatures across the country. Yesterday, members accused the outgoing executive of making a laughing stock out of them, even raising suspicions on the whereabouts of some funds.
Scopa chairperson at the National Assembly Mkhuleko Hlengwa made some scathing remarks on the outgoing executive.
“We all know what a mess is, why should we sanitise corruption?” asked Hlengwa.
He called for a forensic investigation into the finances under the previous executive, saying that those responsible for the sorry state of affairs should face the consequences.
“We expect departments to provide us with credible financial reports and yet we get something like this. We need to act or run the risk of legitimacy (being questioned),” Hlengwa continued.
The point of contention was that the financial report did not include figures explaining how money which had been given to Apac through membership subscriptions and a grant from Parliament had been spent.
Other Apac members also agreed with the proposal for another special AGM where adequately prepared annual reports and financial statements should be presented for adoption.
Maggie Govender, a member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, said it was important for Apac members to take collective ownership of the problem, and to find a solution that would take the association forward.