The Universal Service and Access Agency of SA (USAASA) received an unqualified audit opinion from the auditor-general for the 2004/5 and 2005/6 financial years, a spokesperson says.
Tebogo Thupatlaase, USAASA`s head of corporate and legal affairs, was responding to allegations that the organisation has weak financial controls, and there was something untoward regarding the resignations of its former CEO, CFO and HR manager earlier this year.
Thupatlaase said the reasons for the resignations were personal and had nothing to do with previous allegations that two senior managers attempted to bid for a USAASA tender in the 2004/5 financial year.
PricewaterhouseCoopers investigated the anonymous allegations, and the two officials were exonerated of wrong-doing, he said.
He added the audit committee also extended the scope of the investigation to encompass USAASA`s procurement process. A staff member was found guilty of maladministration, he said. The staff member has since been moved to another division, and the disciplinary process has not been completed, he said.
A supply chain manager has been appointed to improve shortcomings identified in the 2004/5 annual report, he confirmed. Some of the issues highlighted in that report are:
* USAASA purchased equipment worth R465 371 without following tender procedures.
* The fraud prevention plan as outlined by treasury regulations was not followed.
* Members of the board did not disclose conflict of interest in writing.
* There were weaknesses in the internal controls of USAASA.
Since then, USAASA has taken steps to rectify matters and the 2005/6 annual report will reflect that progress, he said.
Thupatlaase said the 2005/6 annual report, tabled before Parliament on 29 September, is now publicly available. A formal presentation will be made on 27 October.
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