BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
LOBAMBA – Eight months after the Auditor General flagged an unresolved E86 184 tour advance, the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs has been given just one week to identify the officer linked to the funds and provide proof of recovery efforts, following a tense Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing that exposed conflicting explanations from ministry officials.
The directive was issued during the Ministry’s appearance before PAC on June 24, 2026, where members scrutinised findings contained in the Auditor General’s report regarding unretired tour advances.
According to government procedures, officers who receive tour advances for official duties outside the country are required to submit supporting documents upon their return. Failure to do so may result in the funds being recovered through salary deductions.
Acting Principal Secretary Duduzile Nhlengetfwa-Masina told the committee that the outstanding amount may have resulted from a posting error and that the ministry was working to reconcile the records.
Senior Accountant Ntombi Zwane said efforts were underway to recover the funds. However, her explanation drew concern from committee members after she indicated that the ministry was still trying to establish the identity of the officer linked to the outstanding advance.
Deputy Speaker and PAC Chairperson Madala Mhlanga demanded proof that recovery measures were being implemented, including evidence of salary deductions and details on the outstanding balance.
He questioned how the ministry could claim to have reached an agreement with the officer for salary deductions while still being unable to identify the individual concerned.
“You initially told us there was an agreement with the employee for deductions from salary. Now you are saying you still need to verify the information with the Treasury. The Auditor General raised this matter in November 2025, and it is now June 2026,” Mhlanga said.
PAC member Sifiso Shabalala sought clarity on who had assigned the incorrect code that allegedly led to the accounting discrepancy, while committee member Mzwandile Mamba questioned inconsistencies between records referring to the Minister’s Office and explanations suggesting the matter involved an ordinary officer.
Responding, Zwane said records showed that the transaction was posted under the Minister’s Office, but investigations suggested it related to an officer whose identity was not immediately visible on the system. She added that assistance from the Treasury would be required to establish the details.
The explanation failed to satisfy committee members, with Mhlanga stating that the ministry’s account of events was becoming increasingly confusing.
After further deliberations, Nhlengetfwa-Masina requested one week to establish the identity of the officer and provide the committee with the required information. The committee agreed to the request but cautioned that delays in resolving the matter could create further accountability concerns.
The ministry is now expected to return with evidence identifying the officer involved and outlining the steps being taken to recover the outstanding E86 184.
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