Western Cape maintains strong 2024/25 municipal audit performance
The Western Cape Government (WCG) welcomes the 2024/25 municipal audit outcomes confirming that 25 of the province’s 30 municipalities achieved unqualified audit outcomes; the gold standard of audit outcomes directly supporting reliable service delivery, infrastructure investment, and responsible use of public funds. This outcome confirms that the financial statements are presented fairly and are free from material misstatements.
Of these, 20 municipalities achieved clean audit opinions and a further five received unqualified opinions with findings. These outcomes mean that residents in the majority of the province’s municipalities can expect greater financial stability, reduced irregular expenditure, and more consistent basic services.
Western Cape Minister of Finance, Deidré Baartman, said, “Unqualified audits are not just technical achievements. They mean that every rand of public money is accounted for, that services can be delivered without disruption, and that residents can trust their local government. The Western Cape Treasury has worked alongside municipalities to strengthen financial controls, and these results show that partnership works.”
The WCG notes improvements in two municipalities. Beaufort West Municipality achieved an unqualified audit with findings for the first time since 2016. This marks a meaningful step forward after years of challenges and demonstrates that recovery is possible where there is accountability, cooperation and stable leadership. And Cederberg Municipality improved from an unqualified audit opinion with findings to a clean audit for the first time since 2022.
Five municipalities remain in distress. Bitou Municipality and Prince Albert Municipality have regressed to qualified audit outcomes, while Theewaterskloof Municipality maintained its qualified opinion. More serious concerns persist in Kannaland Municipality, which received a disclaimer audit opinion in two consecutive years, and Laingsburg Municipality, which remains at an adverse audit outcome.
Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Anton Bredell, said, “Where municipalities struggle, we do not stand back. The Department of Local Government and Provincial Treasury are now providing intensified hands-on support to these five municipalities - including financial recovery plans, capacity deployment, and monthly compliance reviews. Our goal is not to criticise, but to stabilise and rebuild.”
Audit outcomes remain one of the clearest indicators of how well municipalities manage public funds. Unqualified audits confirm that financial statements are credible, that municipalities comply with relevant legislation, and that resources are used for their intended purpose, namely the delivery of reliable services to communities.
Premier Alan Winde said, “When municipalities manage public finances responsibly, it creates the foundation for growth, reliable service delivery and infrastructure investment. The fact that 25 municipalities have achieved positive audit outcomes is encouraging, but more needs to be done. We want to see continued improvement across every municipality in our province. Our residents deserve nothing less.”