Six Limpopo departments get ‘clean audits’ but Premier ‘gags’ officials

Six Limpopo provincial departments have seemingly achieved clean audits in the 2024/25 financial year, but the provincial government has still has placed a moratorium on departments, MECs, and staff from announcing the positive outcomes.

The move has baffled many, with Premier Dr Phophi Constance Ramathuba’s detractors claiming the premier wants to be the sole bearer of good news ahead of the crucial Local Government Elections to prove her critics wrong.

In the 2021/22 financial year, former Premier Stan Mathabatha declared Limpopo a disclaimer-free province after some municipalities and provincial departments performed dismally in the Auditor-General of South Africa’s (AGSA) report.

Since then, the province’s performance has reportedly improved in leaps and bounds, and is now reportedly beginning to show further gains under Ramathuba.

The Citizen understands that the departments that achieved clean audits include the Office of the Premier; Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) under MEC Tshitereke Matibe; sports, art and culture MEC Jerry Maseko, agriculture and rural development under MEC Nakedi Kekana; transport and community safety under MEC Violet Mathye; and provincial Treasury under MEC Kgabo Mahoai.

The department hailed for the most improved audit outcome, though it did not achieve a clean audit, is Health under MEC Dieketseng Mashego, which received an unqualified audit opinion for the first time in years.

In response to a media enquiry this week, provincial government spokesperson Ndavhe Ramakuela said the Limpopo provincial government’s Executive Council has not yet received a briefing on the audit outcomes from the Auditor-General.

“The next Executive Council meeting is scheduled for 19 August 2026, and hopefully then the Auditor-General will present the report.”

Gag orders?

However, a circular purportedly from the premier’s office and seen by The Citizen suggests otherwise.

It reads:

“Dear Colleagues,

“Kindly note that the premier has directed that no department or public entity should share the 2024/25 audit outcomes with the media, issue media statements, publish congratulatory messages, or release posters and any related public communication until the AGSA has officially briefed the Executive Council.

“Kind regards, Nyambeni”

The alleged moratorium has sparked heated debate among politicians and ordinary citizens in the province.

“The writing is on the wall. The premier is waiting for the right moment to shine. But let’s face it – who will blame her?

“Since she took over, she is not only doing well on audit outcomes, she also shone in the province’s contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), matric results, gender parity in her Cabinet, and is slowly but surely working hard with her executive to fight the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment,” said resident Josias Molewa of Jane Furse.

Another resident, Kagiso Sekokotla of Lephepane outside Lenyenye, had a different view.

“I think the premier, together with the ANC in Limpopo, is now between a rock and a hard place.

“Remember, the ANC threatened that any of its deployees in government who perform dismally in audits must present a clear turnaround strategy or face harsh action from the party.

“Now that the party’s new leadership was elected on 28 March 2026, both the ANC and the premier had planned to show the door to those who did not perform. They wanted to replace them.

“But from what I am hearing, most of the MECs who were earmarked for replacement have performed extremely well. Now the premier is startled. She may have to wait until after the November polls to reconfigure her Executive because no man wants to hunt with another man’s dogs,” Sekokotla said.

Reshuffle on the cards

Independent political analyst Solly Rashilo said he expects Ramathuba to reshuffle her Cabinet within days if the two mayors who have been placed on the waiting list to be sworn in as Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) are sworn in, to avoid prolonged uncertainty.

“The reshuffle is likely aimed at strengthening coordination between the ANC leadership and government ahead of the 4 November local government elections.

“Ultimately, voters will judge the new Cabinet not by the appointments themselves, but by whether it delivers tangible improvements in service delivery and governance,” Rashilo said.