The Eastern Cape government has shown a tremendous improvement in its financial management, Premier Mbulelo Sogoni said on Wednesday.

The Auditor-General's report showed a 31 percent increase in the number of unqualified audit reports issued in the province, he said.

Adverse reports were down from three to two and qualified reports from seven to five.

"As the province, we want to sustain this achievement and in the coming year hope to have no adverse opinion."

The audit process, which started early this year, indicated that the province had received six unqualified reports compared with two during the same period last year.

"It is encouraging to see the province increasing the number of unqualified audit reports from 15 percent to 46 percent," the report noted.

Adverse opinions

"However, efforts should be made to ensure that the province move(s) two departments that have received adverse audit opinions for the past years."

Sogoni said a number of factors had contributed to the improvement, including the role played by the provincial cabinet (executive council), the provincial treasury and the office of the premier.

He said the chief financial officer's support of departments had helped them implement financial management and critical intervention plans in response to queries by the Auditor-Genera in previous years.

Sapa