At 73 years of age, an accounting professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, Kurt Sartorius, will set out on an expedition that nearly broke him 50 years ago to raise awareness on climate change.

The Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) Report 2021-20, has once again highlighted serious concerns regarding Information Technology (IT) controls in local government.

Transactions and financial information are processed using information systems that should include sound systems of internal control, thus ensuring the integrity of information used for decision-making. The assessment of the IT control environment identified significant weaknesses, illustrating the severity of challenges faced by local government. IT controls are foundational to credible reporting and can contribute immensely to the success of a municipality.

The Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) tabled the 2020-21 local government general report on Wednesday, 15 June. The general report is critical to the country as it reflects the current state of financial management of local government which ultimately impacts service delivery.