ELECTION: THE HOT ISSUE

Legalbrief Today reports that the Cabinet was yesterday frantically ducking for cover, issuing a statement denying it has ordered the Treasury to ‘repackage’ its audit report on the shocking state of municipalities before making it public.

According to a report in Beeld earlier in the week, the as yet unpublished AG's report says 46 municipalities have not issued audit reports, 70% of financial information from municipalities is unusable, 48% of financial information submitted by municipalities is not trustworthy and almost 25% of municipalities cannot produce the necessary supporting documentation.

This, of course, is quite apart from the rampant corruption involving local government tenders, regularly reported on in noseweek and elsewhere.

Legalbrief Today quotes Cabinet spokesperson Jimmy Manyi saying: "There was no uproar of any sort when it was presented (to Cabinet), nor was there any instruction to the National Treasury or the Auditor-General for that matter to 'repackage' the report." Manyi did not, however, challenge the accuracy of Beeld's account of the content of the as yet unpublished AG's report.

DA leader Helen Zille issued a personal challenge to President Zuma: "Make the full report public before SA goes to the polls next Wednesday. Give every voter the opportunity to make a fully informed decision before they cast their ballot."

Not much chance of that, we reckon.

ALL THE MORE REASON TO MAKE SURE YOU VOTE NEXT WEDNESDAY!

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