WRDM Emerges as One of SA’s Most Improved Municipalities with Second Clean Audit Outcome

Johannesburg — 09 December 2025, The West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) has achieved a noteworthy governance milestone, receiving its second consecutive unqualified audit opinion with no material findings from the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) for the 2024/25 financial year. This outcome, commonly referred to as a clean audit, demonstrates that the municipality’s financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with Generally Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP), and that there were no material weaknesses in performance reporting or compliance with legislation.

This clean audit outcome comes at an essential stage in WRDM’s institutional recovery. Historically, the municipality faced prolonged periods of financial instability, governance lapses, and weak internal controls, which contributed to declining public trust and strained service delivery. The achievement of a second consecutive clean audit, therefore signals a consolidated turnaround from a municipality once categorised as high-risk to one now demonstrating strong governance discipline, sound financial management, and compliance maturity.

The AGSA’s confirmation that WRDM adhered to the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), the Division of Revenue Act (DoRA) and all applicable legislation reflect a strengthened control environment. Just as importantly, this outcome confirms that the administration’s systems, oversight processes, and monitoring mechanisms are embedded and functioning, not merely improving.

In its assessment, the AGSA reported no significant deficiencies in internal controls, reinforcing that WRDM’s financial and governance reforms have taken root. Key performance areas, including community safety, fire and rescue services, environmental health, and disaster management, were assessed as reliable and useful, with no material findings on performance information.

Municipal Manager Mr. Elias Koloi attributed the audit success to administrative reforms implemented over the past two years, including tighter expenditure controls, process standardisation, improved records management, and enhanced accountability mechanisms. These reforms have adopted a culture of excellence, positioning WRDM as an emerging model of compliance, performance integrity, and administrative professionalism.

Executive Mayor Alderman Dennis Thabe emphasised that this achievement represents not only a compliance milestone but a validation of broader institutional stabilisation efforts. He noted that WRDM, as the coordinating municipality in the district family, is now well placed to support and capacitate local municipalities, Mogale City, Rand West City, and Merafong City, in strengthening their financial management systems and improving audit outcomes.

“This is the second time the West Rand District Municipality is rewriting history,” the Executive Mayor said. “We have shown that ethical leadership, accountability, and commitment to our communities can rebuild an institution once written off. WRDM is setting the standard in our region, and we intend to empower our local municipalities to reach this same level of governance maturity.”

The consecutive clean audits mark WRDM’s transition from recovery to sustained performance. The leadership has highlighted that maintaining this trajectory requires continued vigilance, particularly in:

Safeguarding the integrity of financial controls;

Deepening the culture of accountability;

Strengthening performance monitoring and evaluation; and

Extending governance support to local municipalities within the district.

The municipality has endorsed its commitment to use this progress as a platform for regional stabilisation, ensuring that the entire West Rand governance ecosystem moves toward improved compliance, stronger institutional governance, and sustainable service delivery.