4.2.2 Asset register In the 2008/09 financial year, a list of 3 557 properties had been devolved from the national Department of Public Works. Of this number, the DPW had only been paying bills for 869, while the balance of 2 688 properties had to be reconciled and verified. The reconciliation process had confirmed 2 269 properties. The rural nature of the province posed a major challenge to the process of asset re-identification and verification. In addition, there had been problems with the service provider who had been assisting in the process, and the matter was under arbitration.