SALGA annual report 2016/17 SALGA ANNUAL REPORT 201617 PRINTED FINAL | Page 164

Report of the auditor-general to Parliament on the South African Local Government Association presentation of the financial statements in accordance with the Standards of GRAP and the requirements of the PFMA and for such internal control as the accounting authority determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 7. In preparing the financial statements, the accounting authority is responsible for assessing the South African Local Government Association’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters relating to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless there is an intention either to liquidate the public entity or to cease operations, or there is no realistic alternative but to do so. Auditor-general’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements 8. My objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes my opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. 9. A further description of my responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is included in the annexure to the auditor’s report. objectives for selected objectives presented in the annual performance report. I performed procedures to identify findings but not to gather evidence to express assurance. 11. My procedures address the reported performance information, which must be based on the approved performance planning documents of the public entity. I have not evaluated the completeness and appropriateness of the performance indicators included in the planning documents. My procedures also did not extend to any disclosures or assertions relating to planned performance strategies and information in respect of future periods that may be included as part of the reported performance information. Accordingly, my findings do not extend to these matters. 12. I evaluated the usefulness and reliability of the reported performance information in accordance with the criteria developed from the performance management and reporting framework, as defined in the general notice, for the following selected objectives presented in the annual performance report of the public entity for the year ended 31 March 2017: Objectives Objective 1: Local Government delivering equitable and sustainable services 51 to 64 Objective 2: Safe and healthy environment and communities 65 to 68 Objective 3: Planning and economic development at a local level 69 to 83 Objective 7: Effective and efficient administration Report on the audit of the annual performance report Introduction and scope 10. In accordance with the Public Audit Act of South Africa, 2004 (Act No. 25 of 2004) (PAA) and the general notice issued in terms thereof I have a responsibility to report material findings on the reported performance information against predetermined 164 Pages in the annual performance report 130 to 145 13. I performed procedures to determine whether the reported performance information was properly presented and whether performance was consistent with the approved performance planning documents. I performed further procedures to determine whether the indicators and related targets