Parliament, Saturday, 03 October 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has raised serious concern over the regression in the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities’ audit outcome, while the Commission for Gender Equality’s (CGE) audit outcome remained unchanged at an unqualified audit opinion with findings.
The Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) briefed the committee on the annual audit outcomes of the Department and the CGE. The CGE’s audit outcome remained unchanged, while the Department regressed. The National Youth Development Agency’s (NYDA) audit outcome was not presented because its audit report had not been finalised, pending the resolution of a dispute concerning certain audit findings.
Responding to the briefing, committee Chairperson Ms Liezl van der Merwe said the Auditor-General had painted “a terribly depressing picture”.
“It is depressing because the portfolio meant to look after the most vulnerable in our society is moving backwards, not forwards. Equally concerning is that the AG has raised many of the same issues this committee has repeatedly raised with the Department and the CGE.”
Ms van der Merwe said the committee had consistently raised concerns about vacancies and leadership instability in the Department, as well as its inability to provide credible performance reports.
“We have discussed the persistent rollover of vacancies and the leadership instability in the Department. We are now on our third Acting Director-General. We have also raised concerns about the Department’s inability to provide credible performance reports. The AG’s Office has highlighted this as well.”
The committee said the lack of credible performance information made it difficult to assess whether public funds were achieving their intended outcomes. Without reliable performance information,
Ms van der Merwe also raised concerns about poor financial statements, weak annual reporting, the Department’s deteriorating financial health and the apparent ineffectiveness of existing audit action plans.
“In essence, the audit action plans that we have been told are being implemented have not been successful,” she said.
The committee expressed further concern about the lack of consequence management and the recurrence of issues raised in previous years.
“Year after year, we meet on these platforms, and clearly consequence management has not worked. It is not being implemented,” Ms van der Merwe said.
She also expressed disappointment that the committee could not consider the NYDA’s audit report, noting that the agency had previously achieved a clean audit.
The committee asked the Auditor-General what measures were needed to stabilise the Department’s financial health and improve its governance systems. Members also sought the AG’s assessment of the effectiveness of the audit risk committees and internal audit functions at the Department and the CGE.
Ms van der Merwe asked what more the committee could do to ensure that its recommendations were acted upon. She also asked what further steps the Auditor-General, as a Chapter 9 institution, could take to ensure that audit recommendations were implemented.
The committee also raised concern about the slow shift from compliance-based reporting towards reporting focused on impact and measurable outcomes.
“Previously, the Auditor-General indicated that there should be a shift towards impact, and this is something the Committee has also called for. We want to see the impact our Department and the CGE are having on the ground. Not reports produced simply to meet compliance requirements or tick boxes,” Ms van der Merwe said.
The committee said decisive action was needed to address poor performance and strengthen accountability. It also said it could no longer accept general claims of underfunding without clear plans and measurable outcomes.
While recognising that resources were scarce, members called for proper planning and effective use of available resources.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, MS LIEZL VAN DER MERWE
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairpersons, please contact the committees’ Media Officer:
Name: Yoliswa Landu (Ms)
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Email: ylandu@parliament.gov.za
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