M A Y 2 0 1 2 â¢ S A S O L D I E R - Department of Defence

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S A S O L D I E R2009 review of defenceOperation CLEAN AUDIT -It starts with YOU!responsibility forthe implementationand ultimate successof Operation CleanAudit (OCA) rests“Thewith everybodywithin the Department and I, theDeputy Minister of Defence andMilitary Veterans, have pledged myfull commitment and co-operationto ensuring that the Departmentachieves a clean audit in theforeseeable future. I urge you to do thesame; remember it starts with you,”said the Deputy Minister of Defenceand Military Veterans, Mr ThabangMakwetla, commenting on OperationClean Audit.Operation CLEAN AUDIT (OCA)is an initiative of the Departmentof Defence (DOD) to clear the auditqualifications for the Department.The Auditor General of South Africahas for the past four financial yearsissued a qualified audit opinionon the financial statements of theDepartment of Defence. The AuditorGeneral has a constitutional mandateas the Supreme Audit Institution(SAI) of South Africa. SAI exists tostrengthen our country’s democracyby enabling oversight, accountabilityand governance in the public sector,thereby building public confidence.The biggest challenge for theDepartment, as is the case in mostof the government, is that thecurrent systems, in particular thefinancial management system,does not necessarily support allthe requirements for the DOD tocomply with the relevant accountingstandards and the Public FinanceManagement Act (PFMA). Otherfactors that are inhibiting the DODfrom complying with the PFMAinclude the inherent challengesin developing and implementingkey internal controls within theDepartment and non-compliancewith the relevant policies andprocedures. This has led to theDOD not being able to account forand report on its resources for thepast number of years.These problems are compoundedfurther by capacity constraintsfacing the Government ingeneral, and the lack of skillsand competencies required inaccounting and auditing.All these known factors havedirectly and/or indirectlycontributed to the DOD receivingthe qualified audit reports from theAuditor General.How Operation CLEANAUDIT aims to assistthe DOD in achievinga clean audit reportThe approach adopted by the OCAteam is to assist the DOD, firstly inidentifying and confirming all of theroot causes of the audit qualifications,secondly to put measures in place toaddress these root causes, includingdeveloping and implementingimproved policies and procedures andinternal controls, and thirdly to trainand provide DOD employees with theskills to perform their duties moreefficiently and effectively.The ultimate objective is to achievequality financial reporting and toadopt an adequate system of internalcontrols as well as improved policies,procedures and ensure adherencethereto, all of which are critical toachieving a clean audit report.The OCA team is made up of membersof the DOD and a team of externalconsultants who have been brought into provide the DOD with the additionalcapacity and the accounting andauditing skills and expertise requiredto carry out a project of this nature.Mr Thabang Makwetla, DeputyMinister of Defence and MilitaryVeterans.However, the ultimate responsibilityfor implementing the solutions beingintroduced by the OCA team restswith every member of the DOD.ProgressThe project is currently in its ninthmonth of implementation and therehas already been progress duringthe 2008/09 financial year in whichthree audit qualifications fromthe previous financial year havenow been cleared. Roadshows arecurrently being planned in which theteam will share more details on theproject with everyone affected andprovide some basic training in whatis required of them to participate inand contribute to achieving a cleanaudit report. So look out for theroadshow near you and remember: Itstarts with YOU!(For more information please readthe article as published in SA Soldier,October 2009 edition, page 46.)12 • M A Y 2 0 1 2
2009 review of defenceS A S O L D I E RThe Commander-in-Chiefhonours our peacekeepersBy Mr Lufuno NetshirembePhotos: S Sgt Lebogang TlhaoleThe SANDF has spent a decadeparticipating in peace missions.To celebrate this worthy activityof our soldiers the SANDFbrigade parade under thecommand of Brig Gen AshtonSibango and CWO Joachim Pretoriuswas held in Bloemfontein on 16October 2009 in honour of our peace“angels”. The parade was held in AFBBloemspruit and the BloemfonteinCity Hall. On 15 and 16 October thestreets surrounding the city hall wereclosed from approximately 11:00 to13:30.The SANDF Commander-in-Chief andPresident of South Africa, Mr JacobZuma, was invited to attend and tohonour our tireless and fearless peacewarriors. The Commander-in-Chieflaid a wreath in memory of thosewho had lost their lives during peacemissions. After the parade inspectionhe presented medals the soldiers.In his speech the Commander-in-Chief commended the soldiers:“Members on parade, you have beenexcellent ambassadors of our countryin the quest for peace. In difficultcircumstances you have earnedyourselves a place in the hearts ofmany”.President Zuma confirmed that theSANDF was the spear and shieldof our nation. He urged the nationto invest in our National DefenceForce. “Investing in the SANDFmeans we are investing in thecreation of conditions for democracy,the strengthening of democracyand defending democracy,” saidthe President. He indicated thatthe perception that intensifyingdemocracy reduced the security threatwas incorrect; what reduced the threatwas investing in the defence of ourdemocratic state.The members on parade representedall the Services and Divisions of theABOVE: President Jacob Zuma awardedWO2 Dick Shadrack Mkhonto with the Starfor Bravery Gold Medal for performing greatdeeds of exceptional bravery by putting hislife in danger during MK military operations.SANDF that participated in peacemissions, and the colour companyconsisted of Service and Regimentalcolours of Services and Units thatparticipated in peace missions. Themass band comprised four servicebands under the direction of Lt ColMatthys Pienaar, Director of Musicof the SAAF Band. Two AgustaWestland AW109 helicopters from87 Helicopter Flying School basedat AFB Bloemspruit performedthe flight salute. The SA ArmyArtillery Mobilisation Regimentperformed the 21-gun saluteunder the command of Maj FransABOVE: The thenChaplain Generalof the SANDF, BrigGen (Rev) MariusCornelissen, readsfrom the Bible. Onthe podium, fltr:the Commanderin-Chief,PresidentJacob Zuma,the Minister ofDefence andMilitary Veterans,Ms Lindiwe Sisulu,and the then Chiefof the SANDF, GenGodfrey Ngwenya.van Niekerk. The SA Navy performedprecision drill.In view of the fact that our countrydoes not live in isolation, its economicdevelopment and security are linked toAfrica’s stability. In pursuit of a betterlife for all the SANDF will continue tobe deployed on various peace missionsand thus render political, economic andhumanitarian aid to various Africanstates.(For more information please read the articleas published in SA Soldier, Novemberedition, pages 13 - 15.)M A Y 2 0 1 2 • 13
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