System crash compromised Government Printing Works financial statements: AG

The poor state of the ICT of the Government Printing Works (GPW) remains a cause for concern for the security of the crucial information it is required to deliver.

In 2021, GPW lost data due to a system crash. This was revealed by the office of the Auditor-General in Parliament during its briefing on the performance of the entity for the third and fourth quarters of the 2022 and 2023 financial year.

The AG says the missing data in 2021 and 2022 continues to have a negative impact on the GPW’s financial statements.

AG’s Fhumulani Rabonda says supporting schedules relating to the 2021 and 2022 comparative financial figures are not available and unaccounted for.

“There appears ongoing issues that appears to be affecting the current data in terms of moving forward. And we need to address that-then when we agree and have the solution of the current data , then there is an account question in terms of what is the implication now or what do we account for the current data that cannot be resurrected. And that is where we came in at the request of the minister requesting the AG where did engage with the GPW, the CEO. We engage with the office of the accounting general.”