State audit regressions show impunity culture worsening

Johnathan Paoli

Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke said on Thursday that regression at dozens of national and provincial institutions showed that South Africa’s “culture of impunity” was worsening.

“What we’re seeing is that instead of progression in the right direction, there is actually regression. The culture of impunity is unfortunately deepening rather than getting better,” Maluleke said, while presenting the 2024-25 consolidated general report on national and provincial audit outcomes.

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The warning came as the Auditor-General of South Africa flagged regressions in audit outcomes at 45 auditees, including 22 high-impact institutions responsible for delivering essential services such as healthcare, education, infrastructure and water. Those regressions covered R523.42 billion in expenditure.

“The root causes to poor audit outcomes, the root causes to this gap between what’s promised and what’s actually practised and delivered, the root causes to this growing and widening trust