The Finance department is responsible for ensuring a sound and sustainable management of the fiscal and financial affairs of the municipality and compliance norms and standards and requirements as stated in the Municipal Finance Management Act, Act no. 56 of 2003.

1. To ensure transparency, accountability and appropriate lines of responsibility in the fiscal and financial affairs of the municipality
2. Management of revenue , expenditure, assets and liabilities and the handling of the financial dealings
3. Budgetary and the financial planning processes and co-ordination of processes with processes of organ of state with other spheres of government
4. Borrowing
5. Handling of financial problems
6. Supply chain management, and other financial matters.

The finance department has been restructured to gear its self to deliver its business mandate. The following sub units were created to perform functional activities, Income and Expenditure, Budget and Reporting and Supply Chain Management and their existence has streamlined finance business processes and specialization.

Draft budget for 2008/2009 was adopted in March 2008, stakeholder consultation done during April 2008 to May 2009 and the final budget approved by Council in May 2008 which made the municipality to comply fully with the budget process as stated by the MFMA.

The Municipality managed to improve its audit report from disclaimer to a qualification for 2007/2008 financial year and is committed to improve to a un qualified audit report in 2008/2009. A full set of financial statements are produced monthly and presented to Council and that has assisted the municipality in keeping up to date with Provincial and National Treasury returns and reporting requirements. We have a functional internal audit and audit committee.

The Council reviewed and approved the following Policies and procedures in December 2008, BUDGET POLICY,TRANSFER OF BUDGET FUNDS POLICY,BANKING AND INVESTMENT PILICY,ASSET MANAGEMENT POLICY,FLEET MANAGEMENT POLICY,MUNICIPAL SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT POLICY,GRANTS AND DONATIONS POLICY,INDIGENT SUPPORT POLICY,LAND & ASSET DISPOSAL POLICY,PETTY CASH POLICY,TARIFFS POLICY,CREDIT CARD POLICY,POLICY ON THE TREATMENT AND VALUATION OF INVENTORY,RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY,FINANCIAL REGULATIONS,INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SECURITY POLICY,INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY,IT DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN,CREDIT CONTROL POLICY,CELLPHONE TELEPHONE POLICY,BURSARY POLICY, Performance management Policy ,Indigent Burial Policy and this policies are available on the website.

Water services provision is managed by Uthukela Water Pty Ltd and is currently creating accounting nightmares for Umzinyathi D.M which we hope will be resolved soon by the MEC intervention. We are committed to improved financial systems, reporting and compliance with the MFMA.