A Critical Review of the Oversight Role of the Office of the Auditor-General in Financial Accountability

Abstract

Accountability is the very essence of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No. 108 of 1996). In this regard, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) as the supreme audit institution of the Republic of South Africa plays an important oversight role of promoting financial accountability in government. The purpose of this article is to examine the challenges facing the office of the Auditor-General in executing its oversight role of promoting financial accountability in the sphere of provincial government. Information and sources for this article was gathered through literature review. The article gives some background on the establishment and rationale of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI). It explores some policy framework that informs public finance management in the Republic of South Africa, establishing the role of the AGSA within this purview. Based on the data gathered through literature review, the key challenges facing the office of the Auditor-General are discussed. Finally, possible solutions are recommended to the challenges that were identified.