The books of accounts of the North West District Council (NWDC) are reportedly in disarray as they have not been audited since 2014. It has also emerged that the Council encountered a P35million deficit in 2014, which dented its day to day activities. Council Chairman Reaboka Mbulawa said during a full council briefing this week that the NWDC is grappling with problems of poor accounting and record keeping.
“We cannot move forward if we do not compete. It’s official that we are seen as an authority that does not comply with accounting principles,” he said.
The NWDC has also repeatedly failed to audit its accounts as demanded by the Auditor General. Mbulawa said such a practice is dishonourable and called on the Council to do the right thing. The NWDC is one of the biggest in the country and oversees two sub councils. Mbulawa said the council will strive to put its books in order this financial year’ and prioritize accounting for the Shakawe Service Centre which has been experiencing construction delays. Councillors walked out of the NWDC chambers in disgruntlement last year after demanding a clear explanation as to why the Shakawe Service Centre was delayed.
“I do not wish for us to be fighting over petty issues which could be solved in a proper way. I don’t expect a Council as big as ours to be paralyzed by a capital project demanding only P5m when we handle over P300m every year. Therefore we should working together as a collective and acting responsibly so as to create a good image of accountability and accuracy,” said Mbulawa.
