For the first time since its inception in 1997, the National Arts Council (NAC) of South Africa has received a clean audit. The Auditor-General South Africa, Thembekile Kimi Makwetu, awarded the entity a clean audit for the 2014/2015 financial period and it was also announced that the NAC has also achieved 90 percent of the targets stated in its Annual Performance Plan.
The clean audit is a great achievement for CFO Dumisani Dlamini, one of the members of the public sector chapter of CFO South Africa.
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The NAC is a development funding agency mandated by the Department of Arts and Culture to develop and promote excellence in the arts by making grants to individuals and organisations. Clean audits are awarded on the basis of public entities being financially sound and managerially stable. Unlike private sector audits, the Auditor-General's scope in the public sector is broader, reporting on performance against predetermined objectives as well as compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
In a press release Dumisani Dlamini (CFO) and Rosemary Mangope (CEO) commented on the achievement:
"The announcement by the Auditor-General is encouraging to us and showcases that, as an organisation, we are capable of the proper management of public funds entrusted to us," said Chief Financial Officer of the NAC Dumisani Dlamini. "Furthermore, the clean audit means that we are contributing to the development of arts and culture in South Africa. This, in turn, serves to create a richer, more sustainable South African heritage, an aspect embedded in the NAC's overall mission and core mandate."
A key ingredient for producing excellent audit outcomes is the readiness of leadership to play an active role, not only in ensuring financial and managerial stability, but encouraging commitment from staff to engage with and deliver on core mandates. Maintaining a clean audit once it is achieved is only possible through active and focused leadership, with the support of dedicated staff who understand the organisation's ethos.
Regarding this, Chief Executive Officer Rosemary Mangope said: "The NAC is in its second year of rebirth, and this award serves to confirm that it is on the right track towards solidifying a reputation for good governance and stability. Our committed leadership and staff continue working towards fulfilling our mandate, while remaining compliant and financially responsible. Strengthening and enforcing competency requirements, while ensuring we have the correct resources, will take the organisation forward.
"But this is just the beginning. Maintaining this outcome for years to come is the real challenge, and one the current leadership and staff are more than capable of."
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