Petty cash-funded polony Gatsby stuffs up Western Cape audit claims

15 October 2017 - 00:03 By APHIWE DEKLERK

Helen Zille's government in the Western Cape crowed about its latest clean audit last week, but behind the headlines a polony Gatsby threw a long shadow.
The R45 sandwich was one of dozens of food items bought by the office of Western Cape Speaker Sharna Fernandez in contravention of the provincial parliament's petty cash policy.
An investigation into irregular spending totalling R1,700 reveals that management "did not exercise oversight responsibility" when petty cash was spent on Woolworths choc-chip yoghurt, Red Bull and a ham sandwich, among other things.
But managers hit back, insisting that purchases of "assorted tarts, rusks and butter scones" for meetings in the speaker's office were in compliance with the petty cash policy...

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