Statutory Reporting
Section 71 Reporting Compliance
Monthly Section 71 statements are the early-warning system of municipal finance, and late or inaccurate submissions blind both management and Treasury.
Why Section 71 Reporting Matters
Section 71 of the MFMA requires the accounting officer to submit a monthly statement on the municipality's budget and financial performance to the mayor and the relevant treasuries within ten working days of month-end. These reports are the backbone of in-year monitoring, and their timeliness and accuracy directly shape Treasury's view of the municipality's financial health. AuditPro Core tracks Section 71 submission timeliness and accuracy so the obligation is met reliably and the underlying numbers can be trusted.
The Numbers
AuditPro Core renders this view from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records. The figures below are illustrative sample data.
On-time submissions
11 / 12
Late submissions
1
Balancing errors
3
Avg lead time
8 days
Days before deadline by month
Monthly submission detail
| Month | Submitted | Lead days | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | 2025-10-04 | 10 | On time |
| October | 2025-11-08 | 6 | On time |
| November | 2025-12-16 | -2 | Late |
| December | 2026-01-06 | 8 | On time |
| January | 2026-02-07 | 7 | On time |
Figures shown are illustrative sample data for demonstration. AuditPro Core renders these views from your own tenant's live, tamper-evident records.
The ten-day deadline
Section 71 statements must reach the treasuries within ten working days of month-end. The short cycle means submission discipline depends on closing the books promptly and reliably every month.
Accuracy alongside timeliness
A statement submitted on time but riddled with errors defeats the purpose of in-year monitoring. Both the date and the integrity of the figures determine whether the report is fit for oversight.
In-year monitoring
Section 71 data drives early detection of overspending, revenue shortfalls and cash pressure. Reliable monthly reporting is what allows corrective action before year-end rather than after.
How AuditPro Core Bridges the Gap
- Deadline tracking: each month's submission is monitored against the ten-working-day deadline with advance alerts.
- Reconciliation: reported figures are reconciled to the ledger so accuracy is verified, not assumed.
- Continuous monitoring: timeliness and accuracy trends reveal whether monthly reporting discipline is holding.
- Audit-ready export: the Section 71 submission history exports as evidence for the in-year monitoring and compliance file.
Key Takeaways
- The ten-working-day deadline demands reliable monthly book closure.
- Timeliness without accuracy defeats the purpose of in-year monitoring.
- Section 71 data is the early-warning system for overspending and cash stress.
- A complete submission history is evidence of in-year monitoring compliance.
See This on Your Own Data
AuditPro Core renders this dashboard from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records — every figure traceable to source.