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Stabilising and strengthening systems within the Department of Social Development (DSD) and its entities is a goal that the department is striving for. This is according to the Social Development Minister, Sisisi Tolashe, who presented a progress report to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development in Parliament on Wednesday.
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The minister was accompanied by representatives from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and the National Development Agency (NDA).
The briefing covered the implementation of the 2023/24 Audit Action Plan in response to the Auditor-General’s findings.
“Our goal has been to stabilise and strengthen the systems within the department and its entities. I am pleased to inform the Committee and Parliament that Cabinet has approved the appointment of three regional executive managers for Sassa in Limpopo, Free State, and Northern Cape,” Tolashe said.
Minister Tolashe reported that the DSD had successfully implemented 81% of its 2023/24 corrective actions (45 of 55 findings). She reassured the committee that unresolved matters would be carried over into the 2024/25 financial year to ensure continuity.
“We are committed to achieving clean audits under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. Anything not accomplished in 2023/2024 will be integrated into the 2024/2025 action plans, which will be minimal.”
Similarly, the NDA had addressed 89% of its audit findings, while Sassa had resolved 98%, with only four issues still outstanding. These, she noted, related to ICT systems and Grants Administration, areas central to beneficiary service delivery.
The minister further emphasised that oversight at this stage is crucial as Parliament prepares to receive the Auditor-General’s 2024/25 audit outcomes.
“We will not allow the department to sink below acceptable standards. Our goal is to achieve sustainable, clean audits that reflect the values of accountability, dignity, and integrity,” Tolashe said.
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Material misstatements
CFO Thandeka Ngcobo presented the department’s audit outcomes. While financial statements remained unqualified, confirming proper use of resources, the overall audit opinion regressed from a clean audit in 2022/23 to an unqualified audit with findings in 2023/24.
The regression was primarily due to material misstatements in the annual performance report, particularly in Programme 4 indicators.
These included establishing at least one gender-based violence (GBV) shelter per district, establishing at least one Khuseleka Centre per district, providing Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Youth (OVCY) with a core package of services in targeted districts, supporting OVCY who know their HIV status and assisting HIV-positive OVCY in adhering to treatment.
Ngcobo confirmed that these programme areas remain priority interventions because of their direct impact on vulnerable groups.
Corrective steps have been incorporated into the 2024/25 Audit Action Plan, with strengthened oversight from both management and the Auditor-General’s office.
Improvements being made
Director-General Peter Netshipale detailed the measures being taken to improve internal controls and prevent repeat audit findings. These include:
- Enhanced monitoring and evaluation systems.
- Regular performance reviews to validate reported outcomes.
- Improved coordination across DSD, Sassa, and NDA to address cross-cutting issues.
- Targeted interventions in ICT and grants management to close existing gaps.
Netshipale stressed that beyond compliance, these reforms aim to restore public trust and ensure that every rand spent contributes to tangible improvements in social protection services.
Culture of accountability
The department underscored its determination to embed a culture of accountability across the portfolio.
Minister Tolashe emphasised that corrective actions will be monitored continuously and sustained over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), ensuring long-term improvements in governance and service delivery.
“The audit process is an opportunity to strengthen our systems, not an obstacle. We remain committed to ensuring that audit outcomes translate into better services for children, youth, families, and the most vulnerable in our society,” she concluded.