Africa-Press – Namibia. NAMIBIAN auditing firm PwC is accused of obstructing the release of an audit report on the Walvis Bay municipal mass urban land-servicing project.
The firm was commissioned by the municipality to investigate allegations of irregularities regarding the sale of a number of houses constructed under the project. The investigation was prompted by the discovery that the municipality could not account for N$29 million.
According to a source within the municipality, PwC was expected to deliver a letter to the council stipulating the terms and conditions of their consent to release the report.
“The report will only be released once the council has signed off the consent letter,” the source says.
Yesterday Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes told the media the council has on numerous occasions requested the public release of the report from PwC, with no success. PWC reportedly informed the municipality that the report was not prepared for public consumption.
“PwC clearly stated that this report has been prepared solely for use by the municipal council and as such, it should not be disclosed to any other party without their consent, which they may at their discretion withhold or give, subject to conditions,” Forbes said.
Forbes said PwC is concerned that the release of the audit report could create the expectation that the auditing firm owes the community of Walvis Bay a duty.
“They are further concerned that it may prejudice the investigations (ACC investigations into the same matter),” said Forbes.
Council management committee chairperson Leroy Victor said for now, they can only summarise the findings of the report, which can be made public. “This document will always be the property of PwC,” Victor said.
Former Walvis Bay mayor Immanuel Wilfried is also demanding the release of the report without delay. He says PwC has done its part and has been paid for its services.
“The municipal leadership must host public meetings and give us reasons why the document cannot be released,” he says.
“PwC was appointed by the council. It’s not their document and it is not their place to instruct the council on how to do their job – unless the council still owes them money for their services,” Wilfried says.
Former municipal councillor Gibson Goseb called on PWC to inform the public that they have submitted the report with recommendations and that its release is not in their hands.
“It is for the chief executive officer and the office of the mayor to come to the fore and publicly admit they have received the report. It is for public consumption,” Goseb says.
Knowledge Ipinge, the Affirmative Repositioning movement’s regional coordinator for the Erongo region, says the movement has threatened to initiate legal action against PwC if they don’t release the report.
“If PwC has failed to execute their duties in line with the council resolution and terms of reference, let them come clean and issue a disclaimer report to distance themselves from the municipality to maintain their reputation as fair and professional auditors, otherwise we will be initiating court action against them,” he says.
PwC partner and director Johan Nel last week said: “The final report was issued in July to the council and executive of the municipality, who contracted PwC to perform the work. All queries should be directed to them.”
