Programme 3: expenditure was R1.57 billion, or 25 per cent of the available budget of R6.3 billion. Planned expenditure was R1.62 billion so the department was behind by R45.8 million or 2.8 per cent. The variance was mainly due to low spending on business and advisory services as well as vacant posts under this programme. However, the variance was significantly smaller and within acceptable norm by the first quarter.