A portfolio committee on Water and Sanitation has expressed concern over the Department of Water and Sanitation’s qualified audit opinion.

In a statement released by the committee it says the area of major concern is the under-expenditure of the department’s vote compared to the planned spending projections.

According to the committee the under-expenditure of 11% represents a huge number of undelivered services to the people of this country. “It is even more worrying that the department attributes this low spending on lack of proper planning.”

The committee expressed its concern, in a statement, that there is a continuing lack of adequate skills to ensure that the department delivers on its mandate.

While the committee is aware that skills shortage is a general challenge across the spheres in the country, the committee has called for a joint effort among sister departments such as the Department of Higher Education and Training to ensure that this challenge is overcome.

The committee is however pleased that there is positive movement in relations to governance mechanisms within the department which include internal audit and functioning of the audit committee.

The committee remains convinced that these governance mechanisms are the bedrock for future positive audit outcomes.

The reduction of fruitless and wasteful expenditure by the department is another aspect that is welcomed.  Although the R1 545 000 remains high, the committee is convinced that there is adequate commitment to deal with the matter.

The committee has called on the department to ensure that this amount is reduced even further in the current financial year.