The Free State department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs’ (Cogta) efficiency towards strengthening governance, tighter financial controls and a greater commitment to accountability has yielded successful results after it has secured a clean audit for the 2025/26 financial year.
This comes after The Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) commended the department led by MEC Saki Mokoena, who also heads human settlement in the province, for the great improvements on its previous year’s performance.
AGSA said: “It is particularly encouraging to see the department build on the previous year’s results and achieve this important milestone.”
‘Clean audit not the end of the accountability journey’
Mokoena said it was encouraging that the department has achieved the best , but cited that a clean audit is not the end of the accountability journey.
‘A new political and administrative benchmark’
He said, while congratulating HOD Tshepiso Ramakarane and officials, that the result creates a new political and administrative benchmark, through maintaining the standard while ensuring that improved financial controls are reflected in the department’s performance on the ground.
“Achieving a clean audit outcome affirms that the department has maintained strong governance and sound financial management practices,” Mokoena said.
Mokoena also pledged to ensure that the performance is sustained, saying the department was now on an “upward trajectory” towards improved service delivery and accountable governance.
“That commitment will be closely tested in the year ahead. CoGTA sits at the centre of provincial oversight of local government and traditional affairs, placing its governance performance under particular scrutiny. A clean audit provides evidence of sound financial reporting and compliance, but it does not, on its own, guarantee that communities are receiving better services or that municipalities are functioning effectively,” he said.
‘Regression must be avoided’
The latest result also raises the stakes for the department’s leadership. Having achieved the clean audit milestone, any regression in future financial years would invite questions about whether the improvements were deeply embedded or merely temporary, however Mokoena has already signalled that he understands the danger that would come with decline of tighter and strict controls of governance .
“I will ensure the performance is sustained, while the department committed itself to continuously strengthening its governance and financial management systems. The challenge now is simple but significant to keep the books clean, including tight controls as well as proving that the improvement reaches beyond the audit file,” said Mokoena.
For a province where questions around municipal performance, accountability and service delivery remain politically sensitive, CoGTA’s clean audit is an important achievement, with the department’s leadership being at the forefront to hold municipalities accountable across Free State.
Quest for sustained governance turnaround
While Mokoena and the officials of his department are working around the clock to get various municipalities such as Maluti-a-Phofung, Matjhabeng, Ngwathe, Tswelopele among others to fix their mess, he pointed out that the next financial year will show whether this is the beginning of a sustained governance turnaround — or simply another good audit result.
He also stated that leaders and officials at various municipalities should shoulder a blame over a decision taken by the National Treasury to withhold equitable share funds, saying that accountability resistance was the bone of contention.
- The Free State department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (CoGTA) secured a clean audit for the 2025/26 financial year, praised by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA).
- MEC Saki Mokoena highlighted that the clean audit sets a new political and administrative benchmark but emphasized that it is not the end of the accountability journey.
- Mokoena pledged to sustain the department’s performance, promoting improved service delivery and accountability, while acknowledging ongoing scrutiny of local government oversight.
- The department faces pressure to maintain strong governance, with concerns that any regression in future financial years could undermine the durability of recent improvements.
- CoGTA leadership is actively working to improve governance and accountability in underperforming municipalities such as Maluti-a-Phofung, Matjhabeng, Ngwathe, and Tswelopele, with the next financial year critical for a sustained turnaround.
