Parliament, Monday, 5 October 2026 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms Lusizo Makhubela, recently raised concerns about recurring audit findings in parts of the portfolio that are raising questions about management accountability and the effectiveness of audit action plans.
The committee, however, welcomed areas of sound financial management and the positive audit outcomes achieved within parts of the portfolio.
Ms Makhubela said that the department and entities with recurring findings will have to explain why they were unable to resolve them permanently. “Where the [Office of the] Auditor-General identifies recurring weaknesses in governance, compliance, procurement, consequence management, performance reporting or internal controls, the committee expects those matters to be addressed decisively,” she said. “There are entities where governance and financial weaknesses are beginning to affect the delivery of their core scientific and innovation mandates.”
The Chairperson also stressed the need for corrective action. “Where the Auditor-General has identified weaknesses in governance, procurement, financial controls or performance information, those responsible for implementing corrective measures must specify clear deadlines.”
The department and its entities are currently presenting their annual reports and audit outcomes for the 2025/26 financial year to Parliament as part of the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) process. This feeds into Parliament’s consideration of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS). This year, much of the work around the budget review process coincides with preparations for the Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026.
Ms Makhubela said the committee was concerned not only with financial compliance, as compliance alone could still fail the developmental test. “Parliament must therefore connect financial accountability with performance accountability. The committee will use these audit outcomes not merely as an oversight instrument but to determine what must change,” she said.
“The committee expects the department and every entity with findings to present credible audit action plans with clear responsibilities, timelines and measurable corrective actions. By the next audit cycle, Parliament should not be hearing explanations for the same weaknesses,” Ms Makhubela stressed.
“A clean audit must not only tell us that public money was properly accounted for. Ultimately, we must also be able to demonstrate that public money produced public value. That is the standard of accountability that this committee must continue to insist upon.”
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