I wish to commence this foreword on a very positive note by reporting that I, with the concurrence of my Cabinet colleagues and on the recommendation of the Board of the NDA, have appointed Mr Godfrey Mokate as the Chief Executive Officer of the NDA with effect from 1 June 2005. I have every confidence that the leadership skills and expertise that Mr Mokate will bring to the NDA will benefit the Agency significantly and will result in greater attention being afforded to its governance structures and ensure accountability.

This is the third year since the NDA was transferred to the portfolio of the Ministry of Social Development and it is a year in which a number of challenges had to be faced. Following the cautionary suspension of the former CEO and COO late in 2003, Deloitte completed a forensic audit of the NDA and presented a report to the Auditor-General who subsequently produced a report for the NDA Board. Charges were then brought against the then CEO and COO and a disciplinary hearing found the then CEO guilty of certain charges. However, the then CEO resigned in September 2004, which ultimately culminated in the appointment of Mr Mokate as the new CEO. In a