In the latest incident a young woman auditor was shot in the legs by assailants who broke into her hotel room and stole her laptop computer containing crucial information about her investigation.

Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Zweli Mkhize has strongly condemned the attack and acts of intimidation against government auditors.

In Vanderbijlpark south of Johannesburg assailants broke into the hotel where  a member of the Auditor General’s front line staff was being accommodated while she performed her investigation.

They shot her in both legs and left unscathed

a colleague who was sharing the room.

The attack follows threats in recent weeks against  Auditor General’s staff in the east coast port city of Durban and in Pietermaritzburg,  the capital of KwaZulu/Natal.

The victims were all deployed  to undertake audits of financial statements and performance information.

Mkhize says municipalities are at the centre of the economic revival  being championed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

They have to show prudence in how they spend public finances and the Auditor General’s office is busy checking on this.

The minister calls on law enforcement agencies to follow up on the attacks and threats and ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.

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