Chairperson, let me just bow to show respect. The gross negligence in the execution of duties and the management of funds, as reported in the Fluxman report, clearly shows that the department has leadership weaknesses, politically and administratively. It is almost unbelievable that in its short existence it has accumulated such gross instances of maladministration and rot. It is as if it was set up to fail.
High staff turnover always signals a lack of leadership. It is much worse when senior officials leave an organisation. Other than senior staff members that have resigned and those suspended, there is still a lingering and unsatisfied curiosity about the number of senior officials seeking transfers. It is frightening when the level of deceit is from the lowest positioned employees, such as a driver, to the highest positioned employees, such as director-general or chief financial officer. With the new senior officials' appointments, we can only hope that the department will be strategically driven and that the turnaround strategy will be implemented, especially the recommendations by the Auditor-General on supply chain management.
It is hoped that the strengthening of the internal audit unit will aid the department with risk-management issues. It saddens me that this department, which many had viewed and accepted as a difference-maker to the issues of women, children and people with disabilities, is now riddled with gross corruption only a few years after its establishment. Such a disgrace indeed! These management issues are letting down the most vulnerable of our people when the department should be pioneering their citizens' causes.
It is obvious that poor planning and the lack of visionary leadership have led to this crisis in less than five years. The department has had a strategic plan but already there is a turnaround strategy on the strategic plan, and another one is under development. Even the revision of the vision statement appears to reflect a paper-pushing culture, in which people are more concerned about producing good-sounding documents than actually delivering on the mandate and making a difference to the lives of vulnerable citizens.
We do hope to see policy development on the rights of people with disabilities, and we hope to see extensive consultations on it. Similarly, we eagerly wait for the finalisation of women's empowerment and gender equality. The department needs to increase its visibility and play a crucial role in empowering the vulnerable sectors it represents. This is to educate these sectors on their rights and how to access services, and this department must play its role.
Mme Tona, mosadi fa a inama o a be a ikantse motlokolo. Inama mma, o feele matlakala; ntlo ya gago e a nela. Ke wena fela yo o ka thibang wa bo wa aga gore bomme, bana le batho ba ba sa a itekanelang ba bone botoka. Re lebile mo go wena; re na le wena e bile re tla go thusa, fela ke wena o gogang koloi e. A koloi e e tsamae, e tlotliwe, e ratiwe gape e gasagasiwe gotlhe ka boitumelo. Nna ke le mme wa Motswana ka re: Ga go na se se ka thusang kgotsa go utlwisa botlhoko fa mme o eteletseng pele, go na le dipelaelo, dipuo le dingongorego tse di supang gore mme ke ene yo o tshwanetseng go goga le go re bontsha. [Nako e fedile] [Legofi.] (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[Minister, these are challenges faced by your department. I hope you will be able to respond to these challenges. We have trust in you and would like to assure you of our support as the leader of the department. My experience as a Motswana woman is this: It is so disappointing when a department led by a woman experiences problems and complaints that imply that she is failing when she is actually supposed to be showing us the way.] [Time expired.] [Applause.]
The UCDP supports Budget Vote No 8. [Applause.]