The Zimbabwean government has hired several auditing firms to check financial statements submitted by state enterprises to line ministries in compliance with a state directive two months ago.
Sources said the Comptroller and Auditor-General has sub-contracted the private auditing firms due to serious shortages of state auditors.
Most of them quit their jobs when Zimbabwe was paralyzed by a record hyperinflation rate between 2000 and 2008.
The sources said the auditors started sifting through the financial statements this week and are expected to complete their work within the next two months.
State Enterprises Minister Gorden Moyo said most parastatals have now submitted financial statements and salary structures to line ministries as per the cabinet directive. The deadline for submitting the financial statements, some back-dating to 2005, is October 31st 2010.
Moyo told VOA Studio 7 that he expects parastatal executives that have not complied with the government directive to do so before the end of this month.
“All those executives who will fail to stick to the deadline will face the wrath of the law,” said Moyo.