Minister, you have taken over a water department that has some serious governance problems. The level of virements and shiftings in the department is 36,7%, which exceeded the 8% permitted by the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA. In addition to this, the department underspent by 37,7% in the first six months of the financial year.
In terms of performance during this financial year, the target of providing water to our citizens who previously did not have access to water has been adjusted downwards from 1,2 million to 800 000. So, the underexpenditure is affecting delivery.
My question, though, Minister: If you walked into this office two weeks ago with no new director-general, an acting director-general who was suspended two weeks ago, and a chief financial officer who was also suspended two weeks ago, now that more money has been appropriated to you, what assurances can you give us that the financial governance in this department will be improved and that you will deal with the skills problems in top management? I thank you.