CGE ANNUAL REPORT

2022/23 ANNUAL REPORT

Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 Accounting Officer’s Responsibilities and Approval

The Chief Executive Officer is designated an Accounting Officer in accordance with Public Finance Management Act, No. 1 of 1999 (PFMA). As provided in the Act, the Accounting Officer is responsible for the preparation and the integrity of the financial statements and related information included in the Annual Report. In terms of the provisions of the PFMA, the Accounting Officer must develop and maintain an effective system of internal control and is therefore ultimately responsible for the system of internal financial controls established at the Commission for Gender Equality (hereinafter: CGE) and as such places a considerable importance on maintaining a strong control environment. To enable the Accounting Officer to meet the responsibility, the Commission sets standards for internal control aimed at reducing the risk of error or loss in a cost-effective manner. These standards include the proper delegation of responsibilities within a clearly defined framework, effective accounting procedures and adequate segregation of duties to ensure an acceptable level of risk. These controls are monitored throughout the CGE and all employees are required to maintain the highest ethical standards in ensuring the CGE’s mandate is conducted in a manner that, in all reasonable circumstances, is above reproach. The focus of risk management is on identifying, assessing and monitoring all known forms of risk across the CGE. While operating risk cannot be fully eliminated, the Accounting Officer endeavours to minimize it by ensuring that appropriate infrastructure, controls, systems and ethical behaviour are applied and managed within predetermined procedures and constraints. Monitoring of these controls includes a regular review of their operations by the Accounting Officer and independent oversight by an Audit & Risk Committee. As part of the system of internal control, the internal audit function conducts operational, financial and specific audits and co-ordinates audit coverage with the Auditor-General. The Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA) is responsible for reporting on the Financial Statements. The Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with South African Standards of Generally Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP), including any interpretations, guidelines and directives issued by the Accounting Standards Board. They are based on appropriate accounting policies consistently applied and supported by reasonable and prudent judgment and estimates. The Accounting Officer believes that the CGE will continue to operate as a going concern in the foreseeable future due to the availability of funding from the National Treasury. For this reason, the Accounting Officer continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the Annual Financial Statements. The Accounting Officer approved the Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 as set out on pages 171 to 216 on 31 July 2023:

Dr Dennis Matotoka Acting Chief Executive Officer

173