A total of 92% of Gauteng provincial government (GPG) departments achieved unqualified audit opinions in the 2011/2012 financial year, Gauteng Finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe said on Friday, describing it as “significant progress” in meeting the province’s clean-audit aspirations.

The target forms part of government’s larger Operation Clean Audit (OPCA), which aims to ensure that all municipalities and provincial government departments achieve clean audit outcomes by 2014.

Of the GPG's 16 public entities, seven achieved clean audits, eight received unqualified audits, but with nonfinancial queries, but the Gauteng Liquor Board received a qualified during the period under review.

The seven public entities who achieved clean audit reports were the Automotive Industrial Development Company, Innovation Hub, Newtown Development Company, IDZ Development Company, Cradle of Humankind World Heritage, Dinokeng and Gauteng Partnership Fund.

Besides the troubled Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development, which received  qualified audits, no department received either an adverse opinion or disclaimer opinion.
Nkomfe said the Gauteng Provincial Treasury was working with the health department to address material issues that result in the failure to achieve a desired audit outcome.

Gauteng Provincial Treasury was implementing a number of key measures to improve financial management in the province. Measures included the training and development of staff in the offices of CFO’s; the auditing of interim financial statements; and the monthly monitoring of expenditure against budget to assist departments in anticipating unauthorised expenditure.