The director general of the Department of Water and Sanitation Dan Mashitisho came under scathing criticism from members of Parliament's portfolio committee on water and sanitation Wednesday for his failure to account.
Mashitisho failed to appear before the committee for an important hearing on the malaise at the Overberg Water Board and problems at the Mhlathuze Water Board.
Board officials and directors had flown down specially for the meeting‚ which was postponed until next week so Mashitisho could be present.
The Overberg Water Board has not produced financial statements since 2014/15 while Mhlathuze has no board at the moment. MPs felt that as the accounting officer Mashitisho was the best person to explain what was going on.
Mashitisho sent apologies for his absence saying he had other appointments but this did not satisfy committee members who felt there was no point in continuing with the meeting without him.
Committee chairman Lulu Johnson said the "delinquent" Mashitisho did not respect Parliament while African National Congress MP Patrick Chauke castigated him as being "not fit to hold office".
Chauke said Mashitisho had failed to account to the committee for the last four to five months since his appointment in January and did not seem to understand the issues in the department.
He said Mashitisho had "failed dismally" to answer questions about the water boards at last week's meeting of Parliament's standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) on the water boards.
Democratic Alliance MP Leon Basson said Mashitisho's poor performance before Scopa was an "embarrassment".
-TMG Digital/BusinessLIVE
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