Financial Services

Overview

Financial Services manages the financial affairs of municipality to ensure the optimum use of all municipal assets. In essence, it is the protector of the public purse as it levies taxes and charges on the public, collects the taxes and charges for the public, and administers the expenditure of those taxes and charges on goods, services and assets on behalf of the public.

Vision

Ensuring a sound financial management through effective collection of revenue, sustainable utilisation of resources and accurate recording of financial transactions.

Key performance areas

• Render support services to other departments
• Annual budget process
• Annual financial statements
• Credit control and debt collection
• Supply chain management
• Ensure compliance to MFMA
• Develop and implement sound financial policies and procedures
• Provide IT support
• Maintain a GAPAM/GRAP compliant asset register

The Financial Services Directorate is split into five sections: Income, Expenditure, Budget Office, Information Technology and Supply Chain Management.

1. Income

Responsibilities

• Billing of accounts, including per-paid metering management.
• Cash/revenue collection and management including cashiering, direct debit payment, bank payment, sundry debtors and water and light payment monitoring.
• Credit control, including service cut-offs, legal action and pensioner and indigent rebates.
• Rate levying and rate clearances.
• Meter reading.

2. Expenditure

Responsibilities

• Bank reconciliation: ensure that cashbook and related entries are reconciled to the bank statements.
• Investment management: to promote the preservation of funds and optimal cash value management.
• Creditors and purchases: ensure the effective management of creditor payments including employees.
• VAT: ensure that all taxation is paid and claimed in terms of the appropriate legislation.
• Insurance: to ensure that all municipal assets and operations are adequately and realistically covered by the insurance.
• Risk management: ensure the implementation of effective financial risk management framework and procedures.
• Policies and by-laws: ensure that by-laws, policies and procedures- complies with the legislative prescripts of council.

3. Budget and Treasury Office

Responsibilities

• Asset management
• Liability management
• Bank reconciliations
• Maintaining budget on financial system
• Budget and budget implementation
• MFMA and other legislative compliance
• Monthly, quarterly, midyear and yearly reporting
• Training of financial interns
• Annual financial statements
• Implementing all relevant accounting standards

4. Information Technology

Responsibilities

The IT section is responsible for the rendering of IT support to all departments of the municipality. It ensures that the relevant systems and procedures are in place as required by legislation.

5. Supply chain management

The objectives of SCM Unit include:

• Ensure that procurement processes are fair, equitable, transparent, competitive, cost effective and consistent with the Supply Chain Management Policy.
• Ensure that goods and services are delivered to the right place, in the right quantity, with the right quality, at the right cost and at the right time.
• Promote consistency in respect of SCM policy and other related initiatives in Government.
• Give effect to the provisions of the Constitution.
• Give effect to the provisions of the MFMA.