Letter from the Minister of Home Affairs dated 4 October 2005 to the Speaker of the National Assembly, in terms of section 65(2)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No 1 of 1999), explaining the delay in the tabling of the Annual Report of Home Affairs for 2004-2005:

This communiqué serves to comply with the requirements of the Public Finance Management Act. The Department has not been able to table its Annual Report, Audited Annual Financial Statements and the audit report within the prescribed period. In terms of Sec 65(2)(a) of the PFMA, in my capacity as the Executive Authority I have to provide Madame Speaker with reasons for failure to table the above within six months.

The main reason for this non-compliance is due to the delays in the finalisation of the audit report by the Office of the Auditor-General which was not of the making of the department.

During the audit steering committee meeting representatives of the Auditor-General confirmed that there is a delay on their side due to capacity problems. We will table once the audit has been finalised.

Your kind consideration of this explanation would be appreciated.

Yours faithfully