Despite having R5.8 million in written-off assets, which includes IT equipment, the Presidency has indicated it's pleased with performance during the last financial year.
The report, for the 2009/10 financial year, was tabled in Parliament and the Presidency says it is pleased the report didn't receive any disclaimers from the auditor-general. It adds that the report “outlines the sterling work done in the past financial year”.
Despite this, the report shows government's executive management arm had to write off R5.8 million, due to lost IT equipment and office furniture. The report explains that the assets were written off as they could not be located or accounted for over the years.
Harold Maloka, spokesperson for the minister of performance monitoring and evaluation in the Presidency, says the IT equipment was not written off due to malfunctions or being damaged, or broken, but only because it was lost.
He says the written-off equipment includes computers, laptops and computer-related material that went missing. “The search for these assets went on for a while and now they have been written off.”
The Presidency adds that the lost assets dated back to 2002, up until last year. The annual report also makes reference to R939 000 worth of irregular expenditure for emergency services.
Double loss
“We are obviously even more concerned than the auditor-general that this much of assets can be lost,” says Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Athol Trollip.
He says asset management and controls are either non-existent or completely deficient across all government departments.
He adds that not only is there a loss in terms of the value of the missing IT equipment, but every time assets are lost, money has to be spent on replacing them.
“Assets become a commodity if they keep getting 'lost'. It's really a pity that the Presidency is not setting a good example here.”
IT tracker
The president's office says it has subsequently addressed the problem. “The Presidency has since put systems in place to rectify these weaknesses, and ensure there is proper and improved financial accountability in the institution.”
It explains that an asset management system was implemented, which ensures all assets within the office are properly accounted for, and that their physical location is known. All these assets are physically checked twice a year to confirm their existence and location.
Maloka says since the system's implementation, last year, all assets have been accounted for and “nothing” is missing.
He explains that every piece of equipment is allocated to an individual and registered on the system. Individuals have to sign for the equipment and if anything happens to it, they are held accountable.
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