Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety achieves 15th Clean Audit

The Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety (POCS) strives for service excellence and received their 15th consecutive clean audit outcome. 

Adv Yashina Pillay, Head of the Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety (POCS), explained that this unprecedented achievement is the outcome of a long journey for the Department.

“The Department is extremely proud of its excellent financial and performance management and governance track record. Accepting that this does not detract from its service delivery to the citizens of the province, the Department nevertheless celebrates this achievement as a testimony to the work ethic of all staff and organisational culture that prevails within the Department,” Adv Pillay said. 

The audit opinion is based on the following outcome areas, namely: Financial Statements and Annual Performance Plan of the Department where these documents are evaluated against Compliance with Legislation (in the areas relating to Procurement and Contract Management, Expenditure Management, Asset Management, Consequence Management, Strategic Planning and Performance Management, Transfer of Funds and Utilisation of Conditional Grants). 

In the process, the Department received 31 Requests for Information (RFIs) which were submitted to the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) in the agreed timeframe, and 14 Communication of Audit Findings (COMAFs).  Of the 14 Communications received, 3 Communications were repealed.

All these outcome areas were ‘clean’ of material misstatements. The AGSA also highlighted some areas in the Management Report as emerging risk; however, the Department has addressed this emerging risk in preparation of the audit of the 2023/24 financial year. 

Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Mr Reagen Allen said, “I congratulate the Department for achieving this historical milestone. We are the first Department to accomplish this in the Western Cape Government. The entire staff component can be proud of their efforts, as they serve our residents. This once again shows that every cent and resource at our disposal, is utilised to create safer communities across the Western Cape. Our aim is to maintain this in our daily efforts, as we want to halve the murder rate by 2029, while ensuring our residents can live in improved and dignified environments, which are safe and peaceful. I want to further assure residents that we have their best interest at heart. We will try to maintain this in our daily efforts and halve the murder rate by 2029.”