Hon Chair, the DA certainly supports many of the programmes and initiatives of the Department for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. However, I need to give a few reasons why we are not able to support this Budget Vote.
This is the department that brings government closest to the people. In the past financial year, this department received a qualified audit and the Auditor-General has, on various occasions, expressed concern. This was actually a regression from the previous year, which indicates that things are not well in this department. The department has branches of governance within the province that failed to perform across the country to the extent that a national intervention was needed. This was in the provinces of Gauteng, the Free State and Limpopo.
The department failed to exercise sufficient oversight over senior staff and senior appointments, leaving the perception of corruption or maladministration. This is not good enough. We need to see far greater resourcing and attention paid to the fight against corruption and maladministration. Good governance is possible and achievable, because in the provinces and municipalities where the DA governs the DA has shown that it is possible.
It is possible to be accountable and to achieve the targets for service delivery. We therefore are not able to support this budget. I thank you, hon Chair.