7 February 2014
015 307 7248
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Laeveld Bulletin
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Rural areas: FREE • Platteland: GRATIS
Fear lessl y the tr uth
R4
• GLM’s residents are...
Trapped
The financial affairs of the Greater Letaba Municipality seem to be in such a disarray that even the Auditor-General of Limpopo declines to comment on the situation. This follows after the GLM received an adverse AG report in 2010-2011 and a qualified report in 2011-2012. After examining the report on the financial statements of the GLM’s accounting officer, the AG commented: “I was unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to provide a basis for an audit opinion.” In the audit procedure he follows two guidelines to which local authorities must comply with. It consists of the SA Standards of Generally Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP) and the requirements of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA). In the overwhelming sections of the audit the GLM did not comply and the AG was “unable to comment an audit.” To mention but a few of the many aspects in the financial flurry with which the AG had serious complaints, the following was made public: • The municipality did not adhere to the requirements of GRAP on budget information, as they did not present a comparison of the budget amounts for which they are held publicly accountable. • Presentation of a cash flow statement from operating activities of nearly R66 million did not agree to the cash generated of R45,4 million disclosed in the financial statements. No satisfactory explanation could be provided by the municipality for this difference. • The GLM did not perform an adequate review of all contracts with service providers that
have future financial commitments. These commitments are understated by R34,6 million. • During 2012 there was a difference of R2,6 million between the underlying accounting records and the balance of property, plant and equipment of R237 million. The municipality did not correct the difference identified. • Of the total of 85 targets planned for 2013, sixty were not achieved during the year under review. This represents 74% of total planned targets mainly due to the fact that indicators and targets were not suitably developed during the annual planning process. In his report the AG numerously used the words: “I was unable to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence…” The report ended by commenting that the audit committee did not ensure that management adequately implemented the recommendations of the prior year’s (20112012) internal and external reports, to address the internal control deficiencies.
Jessica is seen here with her foster father Tonnie.
Jessica has boyfriends... There’s nothing more disturbing to parents than their daughter running around with boys at her puberty stage. This is exactly what Jessica the hippo does nowadays. However, her “parents,” Tonnie and Shirley Joubert, are happy about it. Now 14 years old, Jessica has Tonnie to thank for saving her life, when he found her stranded and about to die in the floods after a botched birth in which she had been born prematurely on 11 March 2000. Being a former professional hunter who
Fortunately it is not bad news… The Outdoor Centre at Stanford Lake College in Magoebaskloof held its annual first aid training course in co-ordination with Wild Medix. The course, attended by about forty staff and pupils, started off with basic first aid and progressed to wilderness first aid for staff members, in preparation for the various expeditions coming up this year. The course included numerous scenarios pertaining to an accident in the wilderness, which ensures that SLC pupils are once again in safe hands while on any of the seven annual expeditions. Well done to those who passed the assessment and who now have a Level 3 Wilderness First Aid qualification.
used to work for the government, Tonnie took her in, and together with his wife Shirley, they raised her as their pet — or child as they call her. Since then Jessica has been living with them on a small farm near Hoedspruit. What makes Jessica so special and unique is the fact that she is a wild animal that interacts with humans in a rather different way than nature has intended. “We have crocs here but they won’t do anything if I jump into the water and swim, as long as Jessica is around,” said Jessica’s foster mother Shirley. The Jouberts say Jessica could fall pregnant any time from now, since she weighs more than 1,5 ton. “How hippos mate does not depend on age, but rather on the size of the female since the males are big and therefore need female hippos that would be big enough to withstands their weight during the mating stage.” Most hippos reached their puberty when weighing in at one ton.
Tzaneen is now part of ER24 network
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