Ethics & Integrity
Lifestyle Audit Coverage (PSR 18)
Lifestyle audits expose the gap between what an official earns and how they live, surfacing the unexplained wealth that often signals corruption.
Why Lifestyle Audit Coverage Matters
Public Service Regulation 18 makes lifestyle audits mandatory for designated officials, giving departments a tool to detect wealth inconsistent with lawful income and to support PRECCA-relevant investigation. Departments that miss the roll-out deadlines leave a known corruption-detection control unimplemented, which AGSA and the Public Service Commission treat as a serious lapse. AuditPro Core tracks lifestyle audit coverage against PSR 18 deadlines per department so accounting officers can drive the roll-out rather than report its absence.
The Numbers
AuditPro Core renders this view from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records. The figures below are illustrative sample data.
Designated staff audited
62%
▲ 18%
Departments fully compliant
4 / 13
Stage-3 investigations open
27
from 211 flags
Average days behind plan
94
Lifestyle audit stages by department
Lifestyle audit progress
| Department | Designated | Screened % | SIU referrals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health | 740 | 71 | 4 |
| Education | 820 | 81 | 2 |
| Transport | 260 | 70 | 3 |
| Human Settlements | 190 | 51 | 1 |
Figures shown are illustrative sample data for demonstration. AuditPro Core renders these views from your own tenant's live, tamper-evident records.
The PSR 18 Mandate
Public Service Regulation 18 requires departments to conduct lifestyle audits on designated categories of officials. The obligation is mandatory, with defined deadlines, not discretionary.
Income Versus Lifestyle
A lifestyle audit compares an official's known income against their apparent assets and spending. An unexplained gap is the trigger for deeper investigation, not proof of wrongdoing.
Coverage and Deadlines
The control only works if the audits actually reach the officials and departments PSR 18 designates, on time. Partial or late coverage leaves the highest-risk roles unexamined.
From Finding to Referral
Where an audit surfaces unexplained wealth, the matter must be escalated to investigation or referral. The audit detects; consequence and referral are what give it teeth.
How AuditPro Core Bridges the Gap
- Coverage reconciliation: AuditPro Core matches completed lifestyle audits against PSR 18 designated populations per department.
- Deadline tracking: roll-out progress is measured against PSR 18 deadlines, flagging departments at risk of breach.
- Exception escalation: audits surfacing unexplained wealth route into investigation with a documented trail.
- Audit-ready evidence: coverage status exports for accounting officers, AGSA and the Public Service Commission.
Key Takeaways
- PSR 18 makes lifestyle audits mandatory for designated officials, with deadlines.
- An unexplained gap between income and lifestyle is a trigger to investigate, not a verdict.
- Partial or late coverage leaves the highest-risk roles unexamined.
- Detection only deters when findings are escalated to investigation and referral.
See This on Your Own Data
AuditPro Core renders this dashboard from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records — every figure traceable to source.