South Africa
PFMA compliance, made simple
11 yes/no questions for national and provincial departments and public entities: the accounting officer or authority, budget control, financial statements, audit, supply chain and irregular spending, and reporting. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
ComplianceDesk gives you 8 pre-built PFMA controls, an evidence vault, audit-ready reports, and reminders before anything falls overdue — so proving PFMA compliance stops being a spreadsheet exercise.
Take the free self-assessment: a score for each area and a list of gaps to close.
What is PFMA?
11 yes/no questions for national and provincial departments and public entities: the accounting officer or authority, budget control, financial statements, audit, supply chain and irregular spending, and reporting. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
- Official name
- PFMA Self-Assessment (Public Finance Management)
- Status
- In force. Shown as in force as we understand it. Check the current text with the regulator or an attorney, since provisions can be amended or commence at different times.
Who it applies to
- Whether it applies to you depends on your size, activities and licences. Use the free "Which laws apply to me?" checker, or read the first section of the self-assessment.
- The Act applies to national and provincial departments, constitutional institutions and public entities. Answer Not applicable in sections that apply only to departments if you are a public entity, and the reverse.
What you have to do
Accountability
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Does your department or constitutional institution have an accounting officer (the head of department or chief executive), and does your public entity have an accounting authority (normally its board)? Does the accounting officer or authority understand the general financial responsibilities that go with the role, including effective, efficient, economical and transparent use of resources? Do you have a chief financial officer who is accountable to the accounting officer, and delegations of financial powers in writing?
Budget and spending control
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Do you commit the institution to expenditure only within the money appropriated or approved, and never commit it to liabilities that have no funds? Do you have effective systems of financial and risk management and internal control, including internal audit and, where required, an audit committee? Do you prevent, detect and report unauthorised, irregular, and fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and take action against those responsible? Do you follow a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective supply chain management system?
Reporting and audit
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Do you prepare monthly and quarterly reports on revenue, spending and performance and submit them to the relevant treasury? Do you submit annual financial statements to the Auditor-General within the time the Act sets (commonly reported as two months after year-end for departments), and produce an annual report? Do you act on audit findings and keep a plan to fix repeated findings? Do accounting officers and authorities understand that wilful or grossly negligent breach of key duties is an offence?
How to comply, step by step
- Accountability. Record who holds the role and keep the appointment letters on file. Brief new accounting officers and board members on their duties under the Act within their first month. Keep a current delegations register, with each delegation signed and reviewed at least once a year.
- Budget and spending control. Check funds availability before every commitment, and set up approval steps in your finance system. Document your control framework and make sure the audit committee meets as often as required. Keep registers for each type of expenditure, investigate each case and report as the Treasury Regulations require. See the Public Procurement assessment, and test a sample of awards against your policy.
- Reporting and audit. Build the reporting dates into a calendar with owners. Plan the year-end close early and check the current deadline with National Treasury. Keep an audit action plan with owners and dates, and report progress to the audit committee. Include the offences section in your accounting officer induction.
Sources and review status
Compiled from the public sources below. It is not legal advice and has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Last researched 2026-11-01. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the current text and the regulator's notices before relying on it.
Every PFMA control, organised for you
The real control library ComplianceDesk seeds the moment you activate PFMA — 8 controls across 4 categories.
Budgeting & Expenditure Control
- PFMA-1.1 Accounting officer/authority responsibilities assigned
- PFMA-1.2 Budget prepared, approved and monitored
Supply Chain Management
- PFMA-2.1 Supply chain management policy compliant with Treasury Regulations
- PFMA-2.2 Bid/tender adjudication process documented
Financial Reporting & Audit
- PFMA-3.1 Annual financial statements submitted to the Auditor-General
- PFMA-3.2 Internal audit and audit committee functioning
Accountability & Irregular Expenditure
- PFMA-4.1 Irregular, unauthorised and wasteful expenditure register maintained
- PFMA-4.2 Risk management framework implemented
Frequently asked questions
How can I check where my business stands on PFMA Self-Assessment (Public Finance Management)?
Take the free self-assessment. It scores each area, lists your gaps with what to do about each one, and does not say you are compliant. You can save the result to ComplianceDesk to turn each gap into a task with an owner and a due date.
Is this guide written by a lawyer?
No. It was assembled from the public sources listed below and has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Treat it as a starting point and check the current law before relying on it.
How many controls does ComplianceDesk track for PFMA?
8, organised into 4 categories, ready to assign to an owner as soon as you activate the framework.
Can I track PFMA alongside other frameworks?
Yes — most teams activate several frameworks at once. Controls that overlap across frameworks can share the same evidence, so you don't collect the same document twice.
How long does it take to set up PFMA in ComplianceDesk?
Activating PFMA instantly seeds its full control library. Most teams assign owners and get their first controls moving within a day.
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