The rot in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Transport

4.1.5 Absence of supporting documentation for direct payments to telephone and cellular phone service providers

The Auditor General observed that Treasury made direct payments amounting to $240 330 to telephone and cellular phone service providers. The Ministry did not make any effort to obtain confirmation of amounts owed and receipts of payments made from service providers as required by regulations. During oral evidence, the Ministry availed receipts from Telone and Netone but the amounts were more than the payments made.

4.1.5.1 The Committee recommends that, going forward, the Ministry should consistently check direct payments made by Treasury to service providers and ensure that they maintain up to date records on the management of public funds.

4.1.6 Weak controls in telephone usage by officers

The Audit observed that the Ministry’s telephones at the Head Office were open to Members of staff via the switchboard but there are no controls in place to monitor and limit time spend on calls. The Ministry incurred a bill amounting to $1 919 774 which has been outstanding since 2012. The Permanent Secretary informed the Committee that they have since installed a PABX system which makes it possible to monitor and control usage. Since its installation, he indicated that usage has gone down and they are currently paying an average of $649 per month. The Committee commends the Ministry for taking corrective action.

4.1.7 Failure to submit Annual Departmental Asset Certificate

In violation of Treasury Instruction of 2004, the Ministry did not submit for audit examination an Annual Departmental Asset Certificate which shows whether all assets were properly accounted for. Some provinces submitted incomplete certificates and the Head Office register was not up to date. The Permanent Secretary indicated that most officials in his Ministry were not conversant with requirements for maintenance of assets registers. They have put in place teams that go around twice a year to all depots for purposes of updating assets registers. The Permanent Secretary advised the Committee that the Master Assets Register was now up to date. However, the Ministry up to the time of concluding this Report had not submitted the Annual Departmental Asset Certificate.

4.1.7.1The Committee recommends that the Ministry should, by 31st August 2017, submit the Annual Departmental Asset Certificate to the Auditor General.

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