Towards the end of the tour, we visited South Africa, our own properties in foreign countries. We visited the embassy and the ambassador's residence in Berlin and two properties in Bonn. The conditions of these state assets are appalling and this was embarrassing to say the list. Buildings are not properly maintained and the reasons given were the ambassador has an expenditure limit of E1 000 euros, an expense above this threshold must be authorised by the South African head office. This sometimes takes up to one year to authorise.