R21m missing from New Limpopo Bridge

Source: R21m missing from New Limpopo Bridge – Sunday News Jul 3, 2016

THE Government is reportedly failing to account for more R21 million that was collected for the rehabilitation of New Limpopo Bridge, a move which the Auditor-General’s office has said to be worrying.

The fund was established to finance the maintenance, rehabilitation of old and new Limpopo bridges, and the roads linking to the bridges on the Zimbabwean side. Toll collection along the bridge is handled by the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara) under Statutory Instrument 100 of 2014 and the Beitbridge (Tolling) regulations.

However, according to the Auditor-General, Mrs Mildred Chiri, in auditing the fund on behalf of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, the fund’s revenue was understated by 21 577 326 rand, which was collected during the months of November and December 2014.

Zinara had reportedly alleged that the money was left out from the financial statement because the bank had not converted the amount to United States dollars.

“I could not satisfy myself that the figure of R3 241 168 represented all the revenue which was collected by Zinara. The fund relied on bank statements and deposit slips supplied by Zinara to come up with the revenue figure.

There were no copies of receipts and monthly summary of revenue collected, which would have enabled the fund to carry out independent reconciliations against bank statements.

Consequently, the revenue of $3 241 168 collected could not be independently confirmed in the absence of receipts and monthly summary of revenue collected,” reads part of the audit report.

The ministry in its response, however, put the blame on Zinara alleging that while it had requested monthly revenue returns from 17 June to 31 December 2014 they only managed to get deposit slips for October 2014.

“Returns for collections done from when the account was opened to date are still to be availed to the department. The department will continue to engage Zinara in an effort to obtain the returns and also make quarterly visits to examine revenue records at the bridge,” reads the report.

THE Government is reportedly failing to account for more R21 million that was collected for the rehabilitation of New Limpopo Bridge, a move which the Auditor-General’s office has said to be worrying.

The fund was established to finance the maintenance, rehabilitation of old and new Limpopo bridges, and the roads linking to the bridges on the Zimbabwean side. Toll collection along the bridge is handled by the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara) under Statutory Instrument 100 of 2014 and the Beitbridge (Tolling) regulations.

However, according to the Auditor-General, Mrs Mildred Chiri, in auditing the fund on behalf of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, the fund’s revenue was understated by 21 577 326 rand, which was collected during the months of November and December 2014.

Zinara had reportedly alleged that the money was left out from the financial statement because the bank had not converted the amount to United States dollars.

“I could not satisfy myself that the figure of R3 241 168 represented all the revenue which was collected by Zinara. The fund relied on bank statements and deposit slips supplied by Zinara to come up with the revenue figure.

There were no copies of receipts and monthly summary of revenue collected, which would have enabled the fund to carry out independent reconciliations against bank statements.

Consequently, the revenue of $3 241 168 collected could not be independently confirmed in the absence of receipts and monthly summary of revenue collected,” reads part of the audit report.

The ministry in its response, however, put the blame on Zinara alleging that while it had requested monthly revenue returns from 17 June to 31 December 2014 they only managed to get deposit slips for October 2014.

“Returns for collections done from when the account was opened to date are still to be availed to the department. The department will continue to engage Zinara in an effort to obtain the returns and also make quarterly visits to examine revenue records at the bridge,” reads the report.