AG orders council to comply

Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
The Auditor-General has ordered Harare City Council to comply with the auditing process after MDC-T councillors frustrated the auditors. PricewaterhouseCoopers, which was appointed by the Auditor-General to carry the audit, had written to the AG’s Office stating that they were denied access to documents by the city.

Harare councillors had dismissed the exercise as a witch-hunt by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing principal director (Urban Local Authorities), Ms Erica Jones said her ministry was baffled that the city had resisted the audit.

“The ministry is concerned as to why Harare City Council would not want city companies to be audited. We cannot help, but be suspicious. This is not in line with good governance,” she said.

In the terms of reference the auditors wanted accounts for city companies, salary structures, board charter, job descriptions and terms of reference for each committee.

The documents requested by PricewaterhouseCoopers also include HCC minutes and board perks.