Professor Vaola Sambo (Ph.D.) | University of South Africa (original) (raw)

Papers by Professor Vaola Sambo (Ph.D.)

There is an incvitlble widening of the scope of the internal audit function, hO\\,e,,er, in Sooth... more There is an incvitlble widening of the scope of the internal audit function, hO\\,e,,er, in Sooth Africa the internal audit lunclion ~ still in its carty de\-elopment stagies and lotuses mainly Oil oompfiance and fiflaociaJ audits, as opposed IO the wider context of financial management. The role a audit comm~ is to enhance~ governance and acoounr.ihility and to ~rcngthen the internal and exlemal audit (unctions~ fiAc1ncial nw 1~ieinent as well as the °'"'all gO\,emance of public instittltions. Consequently. it strengthens the position of the inicmal audi1 function by acting as an inckpcndcnt forum internal auditors could oonsult with on nl3ttel's affecting financial 1nan~ieinent. The article found that internal auditing reporting improved in public institutions where the audit committee has a strong influence on intcm;il i-luditing practices and audit repons clearty demiW audit findings and explained thoroughly how the internal auditor reached certain conclusions a...

Journal of Contemporary Management

The article explores the policies that have been promulgated in South Africa post-democracy to ad... more The article explores the policies that have been promulgated in South Africa post-democracy to address the issue of income inequality. These policies include the National Norms and Standards for School Funding Policy (NNSSF), and the Employment Equity Act 47 of 2013 as amended. South Africa has been found to be one of the most unequal countries in the world because of the cohabitation of the first and third economies. On the one hand, the NNSSF policy aims to address income inequality by correcting the legacy of apartheid in the schooling system. On the other hand, the Employment Equity Act intends to amongst other things correct disparities in income. The article relies on a qualitative methodology. The findings reveal that despite the various policies that have been promulgated, the results do not reflect what the policies intended to achieve. As a result, inequalities are still rampant and the majority of the citizens are languishing in abject poverty. The article concludes with a framework that highlights the key prerequisites that need to be in place in order to address income inequalities.

This article reports on ethics and accountability in the BRICS countries comprising Brazil, Russi... more This article reports on ethics and accountability in the BRICS countries comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group of emerging economies was formed as an economic bloc in 2003, at the time referred to as BRIC, with South Africa joining in 2010. The BRICS countries have various bilateral trading agreements that are mutually beneficial. The aim of this article is thus to reflect how the BRICS countries have addressed issues of ethics and accountability as important prerequisites for good governance. It is underpinned by an ethics and accountability theoretical framework. Although the BRICS countries differ in accountability levels, by all means, they are all corrupt according to the Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International. Employing qualitative methodology and document analysis as a data collection technique and the application of discourse analysis, the extent of ethical cultures and accountability was explored from political and economic BRICS contexts. These contexts are important in understanding ethics and accountability because studies have found that emerging economies, for example, have a tendency to result in corrupt activities and weak accountabilities. The findings suggest that there is a correlation between ethics and accountability-a high ethical environment yields high accountability and the converse applies. brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Unisa Institutional Repository CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL EXPOSITIONS OF ETHICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY The section below provides an exposition of theoretical perspectives of ethics and accountability that underpinned the study.

Journal article published in the International Conference on Public Administration and Developmen... more Journal article published in the International Conference on Public Administration and Development Alternatives 04 - 06 July 2018, Stellenbosch University, Saldahna Bay, South Africa

African Journal of Governance & Development, Jul 19, 2021

State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) across the world are the main drivers of the economy; specifically... more State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) across the world are the main drivers of the economy; specifically through their contribution to their countries' Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Although SOEs are the principal drivers of the formal sector of the economy and contribute significantly to the economic growth as the main entities that deliver many social goods and services to ensure the quality of life to all, they encounter governance failures, which need attention. Consequently, they become unsustainable and vulnerable to corruption. This article used a cross-analysis informed by a qualitative design to examine the governance of SOEs in the BRICS countries comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The article found that BRICS countries have no common agenda for SOEs, largely due to inadequate governance, ownership policy, oversight, and accountability disparities. Therefore, there is a need to reform the governance of the SOEs in each BRICS country to ensure that they become optimally responsive. The purpose of this article is to attempt to rekindle the discourse related to SOE governance in BRICS countries.

Journal article published in The 4th Annual International Conference on Public Administration and... more Journal article published in The 4th Annual International Conference on Public Administration and Development Alternatives 03 - 05 July 2019, Southern Sun Hotel, OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa

Fiscal Decentralisation: Lesotho Subnational Government Financing, 2023

ABSTRACT The Lesotho government implemented decentralisation as a policy for pro¬moting popular p... more ABSTRACT
The Lesotho government implemented decentralisation as a policy for pro¬moting popular participation and better local public service, for securing socio-economic wellness for the Basotho. Decentralisation was operation¬alised in 1997 through the Local Government Act 6 of 1997 (Lesotho Local Government Act 6 of 1997). In 2014 the government of Lesotho adopted the national decentralisation policy as a comprehensive reform framework for building strong and effective local authorities for ensuring economic and social benefits to the people. In the public financial sector, the focus is on the development of fiscal decentralisation legislation to ensure functional fiscal relations and public financial management to support the decentrali¬sation process. In this regard, the study on which this article is based, fo-cused on domesticating a fiscal decentralisation methodology for Lesotho. The article considers among other things the conceptual nature of fiscal de-centralisation and subnational government financing in Lesotho. The study was conducted using the mixed methods research methodology. Data was collected through document analysis, closed-ended questionnaires and interviews within local councils in the four districts namely: Maseru, Berea, Mohale’s Hoek and Thaba-Tseka, to ensure representation of all the regions of the country. The respondents who were purposively selected, included elected councillors and technical staff. The article recommends the devel¬opment of a comprehensive subnational government framework to improve resource mobilisation for subnational government financing. The findings of the research highlight the importance of financial independence and self-reliance of subnational government. The findings also show that subna¬tional governments need to have effective financial management systems to guarantee the availability and management of financial resources.

Is accountability in the management of public finances a myth? The case of the West Rand District Municipality, 2021

Several South African municipalities, including West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) had deposi... more Several South African municipalities, including West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) had deposited funds into VBS Mutual Bank, which they subsequently lost because of the severe illiquidity that the bank experienced. On 11 March 2018, the then Minister of Finance, Mr Nhlanhla Nene placed the VBS mutual Bank under curatorship due the liquidity crisis, as explained above. This liquidity crisis was caused by amongst others what has been reported as grand theft of the bank’s funds and fraud by allegedly amongst others, the bank’s directors. The VBS theft and fraud case is currently being heard in court, and some of those who are alleged to have benefitted have been charged.

Section 7(3)(b) of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) 56 of 2003 requires municipalities to only open bank accounts such as investment accounts with banks registered in terms of the Banks Act 94 of 1990. Investments in mutual banks such as VBS are as such prohibited by the MFMA. As described above, the WRDM is one of the 14 municipalities, which were found to have illegally deposited money into VBS, whereby municipal officials and political office bearers are alleged to have personally benefitted for making such deposits. A forensic report by audit firm Deloitte, published in 2019 indicates that the WRDM may have lost as much as R224.5 million after illegally investing in the now-defunct VBS bank.

The paper used the qualitative methodology wherein the materials used consisted of documents in the public domain. Through a careful analysis of both primary and secondary sources of information and statutes on local government finance, the researcher provides an in-depth and objective description of the case. The aim of the paper is to consider the necessary prerequisites that need to be in place to ensure accountability in the management of public finances at the WRDM, and come up with a framework that will highlight these prerequisites. The paper highlights three broad prerequisites in this regard, that is, following an accountability ladder, instituting internal controls and implementing a combined assurance model. The presence of these prerequisites could go a long way in ensuring that there is accountability in the management of public finances.

The Institute of Internal Auditors requires internal auditors to comply with its stipulations on ... more The Institute of Internal Auditors requires internal auditors to comply with its stipulations on inter alia, ethics in the profession of internal auditing and the code of ethics for internal auditors. In this context, the study on which this article reports, considered among other things the importance of promoting ethics in the profession of internal auditing, as well as the role of the internal audit function in enhancing internal controls. The research design and methodology for the study was qualitative. Data was collected using the case study approach, wherein on the one hand, one-on-one interviews with senior managers were conducted and on the other, open-ended questionnaires were completed by junior managers. This article1 suggests that, if all the necessary conditions under which an internal audit function can promote ethics in the profession, are not in place, the function itself also fails in improving ethical conduct/behaviour. In particular, the outcome of the research p...

Administratio Publica, 2021

There is an inevitable widening of the scope of the internal audit function, however, in South Af... more There is an inevitable widening of the scope of the internal audit function, however, in South Africa the internal audit function is still in its early develop- ment stages and focuses mainly on compliance and financial audits, as op- posed to the wider context of financial management. The role of audit com- mittees is to enhance good governance and accountability and to strengthen the internal and external audit functions, financial management as well as the overall governance of public institutions. Consequently, it strengthens the position of the internal audit function by acting as an independent forum in- ternal auditors could consult with on matters affecting financial management. The article found that internal auditing reporting improved in public institu- tions where the audit committee has a strong influence on internal auditing practices and audit reports clearly detailed audit findings and explained thoroughly how the internal auditor reached certain conclusions and/or opinions. If an audit committee carries out its work effectively, it serves as an effective means of monitoring and promoting a system of good governance within any institution. Hence, audit committees are not merely passive watchdogs when it comes to governance issues – they are expected to take an active lead in ensuring sound financial governance in a public institution.

African Journal of Governance and Development | Volume 10 Issue 1 • July • 2021, 2021

This article reports on ethics and accountability in the BRICS countries comprising Brazil, Russi... more This article reports on ethics and accountability in the BRICS countries comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group of emerging economies was formed as an economic bloc in 2003, at the time referred to as BRIC, with South Africa joining in 2010. The BRICS coun- tries have various bilateral trading agreements that are mutually beneficial. The aim of this article is thus to reflect how the BRICS countries have addressed issues of ethics and accountability as important prerequisites for good governance. It is underpinned by an ethics and accountability theoretical framework. Although the BRICS countries differ in accounta- bility levels, by all means, they are all corrupt according to the Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International. Employing qualitative methodology and document analysis as a data collection technique and the application of discourse analysis, the extent of ethical cultures and accountability was explored from political and economic BRICS contexts. These contexts are important in understanding ethics and accountability because studies have found that emerging economies, for example, have a tendency to result in corrupt activities and weak accountabilities. The findings suggest that there is a correlation between ethics and account- ability – a high ethical environment yields high accountability and the converse applies.

An analysis of audit outcomes and service delivery at the local government sphere in South Africa

Journal of Contemporary Management

African Journal of Governance & Development, Jul 19, 2021

Fiscal Decentralisation: Lesotho Subnational Government Financing, 2023

Is accountability in the management of public finances a myth? The case of the West Rand District Municipality, 2021

Administratio Publica, 2021

African Journal of Governance and Development | Volume 10 Issue 1 • July • 2021, 2021

This article reports on ethics and accountability in the BRICS countries comprising Brazil, Russi... more This article reports on ethics and accountability in the BRICS countries comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group of emerging economies was formed as an economic bloc in 2003, at the time referred to as BRIC, with South Africa joining in 2010. The BRICS coun- tries have various bilateral trading agreements that are mutually beneficial. The aim of this article is thus to reflect how the BRICS countries have addressed issues of ethics and accountability as important prerequisites for good governance. It is underpinned by an ethics and accountability theoretical framework. Although the BRICS countries differ in accounta- bility levels, by all means, they are all corrupt according to the Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International. Employing qualitative methodology and document analysis as a data collection technique and the application of discourse analysis, the extent of ethical cultures and accountability was explored from political and economic BRICS contexts. These contexts are important in understanding ethics and accountability because studies have found that emerging economies, for example, have a tendency to result in corrupt activities and weak accountabilities. The findings suggest that there is a correlation between ethics and account- ability – a high ethical environment yields high accountability and the converse applies.

An analysis of audit outcomes and service delivery at the local government sphere in South Africa