Knowledge Centre

Improve public-interest finance with stronger systems, reporting, and governance.

Municipal and School Financial Management

1. What You Need to Know 

Public entities face unique compliance and transparency requirements. 
CBAs help set up processes, build capability, and prepare reliable reports that meet treasury and auditor expectations.  

2. Why It Matters to You 

Better finance means better service delivery and trust. 
Clean audits and fewer findings. 
Stronger internal controls and budgeting. 
Accurate, timely reporting. 
Upskilled finance staff. 

3. Frameworks, Standards, or References 

Anchor operations in the right laws and practices. 

  • Standards & law: PFMA, MFMA, Schools Act, treasury circulars. 

  • Frameworks: Internal control (COSO), commitment control, budget monitoring. 

  • References: CIBA public-sector practice guidance. 

  • What your accountant will actually do: Establish record-keeping, prepare statements, design controls, train finance staff, support audit action plans. 

4. How to Apply  

Build capacity and fix root causes, not just symptoms. 

  1. Baseline assessment of finance function. 

  2. Implement control improvements and SOPs. 

  3. Align reporting calendars to legal deadlines. 

  4. Train staff and assign responsibilities. 

  5. Monitor audit findings to closure.   

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid 

Consistency beats heroics. 

  • Working without SOPs. 

  • Last-minute reporting rushes. 

  • No ownership of audit findings. 

  • Weak document retention. 

9. Need Help? 

Still stuck? We’re here to help. 

  • [Open a Support Ticket – tagged: Municipal and School Financial Management]