Johannesburg - SCOPA chair Mkhuleko Hlengwa and the Auditor-General of South Africa, Kimi Makwetu, will open the Public Sector Forum to be held at Emperors Palace in Ekurhuleni on 3 and 4 February 2020.

The annual event is hosted by the Institute of Internal Auditors SA (IIA SA) and will see around 400 - of its 8 000 members - working in various government departments and state-owned entities attending. 

The theme for this year’s forum is “A Bird’s Eye View” and, as in recent years, issues to come under the magnifying glass include corruption, state capture, promoting ethical behaviour, the impact of the fourth industrial revolution on the internal audit sector and ensuring corporate governance becomes a daily reality. 

Hlengwa opens the two-day event where he will speak on the current state of public finances and what needs to be done to ensure greater accountability and consequence management. Since taking over as chairman of SCOPA, Hlengwa has made it his mission to understand what led to the rot at various state-owned entities including Eskom, SAA and Denel. 

He will be followed by Makwetu who will talk about “Strengthening Public Trust Through Accountability and Transparency”. 

His office recently said it would soon start exercising the full extent of its recently enacted extended powers to hold public officials accountable for wrongdoing following years of irregular and wasteful government expenditure. 

Last November Makwetu painted a bleak picture of the way national and provincial departments as well as municipalities and state-owned entities were run saying R62.6-billion was irregularly spent. This in comparison to R51-billion reported in the previous year. 

Other topics to be explored at the forum include data analytics in the public sector, ethics, governance, the psychology of corruption, empowering internal audit, cyber security, peer pressure and promoting effective leadership. 

Some of these sessions will be hosted by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA). 

Chairman of the IIA SA, James Gourrah, said the primary objectives of the professional body was, among other things, to promote the profession, ensure its credibility and  help build a thriving business environment in the country. 

“Yet, despite our best efforts, the negativity and myriad scandals over the last few years has forced us as internal auditors to reflect on our roles and responsibilities. Internal research reports like our annual Corporate Governance Index shows that, among other things, our members sometimes fear for their lives, are often scared to blow the whistle and work in environments with weak leadership.” 

He said that, to this end, internal auditors and internal audit reports, in particular, “must be seen as an opportunity to self-correct, improve and safeguard our core values”. 

“There is no doubt that the broader auditing profession has been placed under a negative spotlight for its alleged role in aiding and enabling or even turning a blind eye to corrupt and devious behaviour.” 

He added: “However, it is important that we recognise the meaningful role it can now play in rebuilding SA. This is why the forum this year is so crucial as we attempt to right the wrongs of our recent past.” 

Acting CEO of the IIA SA, Charles Nel, said the forum was a place to discuss challenges facing the profession as well as provide continuous professional development for members employed in the public sector. 

“It is a reality that, in society, those working in the public service are sometimes held to a higher standard given that the policies they implement and decisions they take affect most citizens. So, while internal audit plays a significant role in governance, it directly or indirectly, affects all of our lives.

 “Thus, we encourage our members to execute their responsibilities in service to our nation and execute their mandate in the interest of the greater good.” 

Added Gourrah: “Of course there needs to be a collective effort from all charged with governance - from business to politics and civil society and the public sector - to ensure the reboot of our economy. We as internal auditors know we play a key role in the value creation process and must ensure we continuously improve in the interests of the greater good.”