Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19] as amended as at 28 October 2016 (a) act in a way that is inconsistent with the responsibilities of an accounting authority under this Act; or (b) use the position of such an authority, or any confidential information obtained as such an authority, for personal gain or to improperly benefit another person. (3) If an accounting authority is a board or other body, a member thereof shall— (a) disclose to the other members of the accounting authority any direct or indirect personal or private business interest that that member or any spouse, partner or close family relation of that member may have in any matter before the accounting authority; (b) withdraw from the proceedings of the accounting authority when the matter is considered, unless the other members of the accounting authority decide that the member’s direct or indirect interest in the matter is trivial or irrelevant. 43 Assignment of powers and duties of accounting authorities (1) The accounting authority for a public entity may— (a) in writing delegate any of the powers entrusted or delegated to the accounting authority under this Act to an employee of that public entity; or (b) instruct an employee of that public entity to perform any of the duties assigned to the accounting authority under this Act. (2) A delegation or instruction in terms of subsection (1)— (a) is subject to any limitations and conditions the accounting authority may impose; and (b) shall not divest the accounting authority of the responsibility for the exercise of the delegated power or the performance of the assigned duty. 44 General responsibilities of accounting authorities (1) An accounting authority for a public entity— (a) shall ensure that that public entity establishes and maintains— (i) effective, efficient and transparent systems of financial and risk management and internal controls; (ii) system of internal audit under the control and direction of an audit committee operating in accordance with sections 80 (which shall apply to public entities subject to such changes as may be necessary, including the substitution of the “Public Service Commission” by the accounting 35 (iii) an appropriate procurement and provisioning system which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective; (iv) a system for properly evaluating all major capital projects prior to a final decision on the project; (b) shall take effective and appropriate steps to— (i) collect all revenue due to the public entity concerned; and (ii) prevent irregular expenditure, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, losses resulting from criminal conduct, and expenditure not complying with the operational policies of the public entity; and - 29 -