While several communities are not receiving quality water and sanitation services, the Department of Water and Sanitation failed to spend more than R2 billion in the 2021-2022 financial year.
The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation expressed its concern after learning about this in a committee meeting on Tuesday.Furthermore, the committee finds it ironic and unacceptable given the fact that many communities don't get quality water services.
The committee's concerns were based on the fact that some significant contributors to the reported under expenditure included the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant and Water Services Infrastructure Grant that had projects such as the Bucket Eradication Programme and drought intervention committed projects and the Vaal River System Intervention.The committee accepted that the department applied to National Treasury that the unspent budget be rolled over to the next financial year.
Also of concern was that the department recorded under expenditure of R112.421 million due to a reduced rate of filling vacancies, despite South Africa's high unemployment rate. The committee welcomed the appointment of 854 engineers and scientists and said it hoped it would add some capacity to the department and be in a better position to implement its projects.
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