Johnathan Paoli
THE Gauteng ANC government has hailed the passing of the provincial budget, as a sign of the legitimacy of the 7th administration under its leadership after Finance MEC Lebogang Maile presented the budget for the 2024/2025 financial year on Thursday and said it would prioritise economic recovery, infrastructure development, health and education.
“In a time of deep fiscal constraints, the 2024 provincial annual budget ensures the sustained provision of critical services, while improving the sustainability of public finances to foster growth and development in Gauteng,” Maile said.
Provincial secretary Thembinkosi Nciza speaking after the budget was passed, said he was glad the budget was accepted as it remained in line with what the party wanted to achieve in the province.
“As an organisation, we are pleased with the direction that Gauteng is taking and wish the Premier and his Executive Council, as well as officials in the province, well as they continue propelling Gauteng to greater heights both as the country’s economic powerhouse and biggest contributor to the country’s GDP,” Nciza said.
The budget, totaling R163.8 billion, will be allocated to all departments and agencies, including the Premier’s office and the provincial legislatures in alignment with the commitments made to the residents as well as the transformation agenda.
Nciza said a substantial amount would be allocated to infrastructure development by the various departments and entities.
He recognised the challenges facing the province, including local, regional and international migration; a weaker global environment; high levels of unemployment; a cost of living crisis; as well as water and energy insecurities that have impeded Gauteng’s economic growth and development.
“Despite these constraints, the provincial budget prioritises the sustained provision of critical services to the residents of Gauteng while simultaneously improving the sustainability of public finances to ensure growth and development,” Nciza said.
Nciza outlined the budget, in accordance with the Provincial Treasury, as centering on ensuring the sustained resourcing of key policy priorities including accelerating economic recovery and reconstruction; strengthening the battle against crime, corruption and lawlessness; improving living conditions; prioritising health; and improving service delivery.
The secretary said his party was pleased with the budget allocation for the social sector as well as community safety, which was granted R36.8 billion.
He said his party applauded the progressive posture of all parties who voted in support of a transformational and development budget that is in the best interest of the residents of the province.
However, the Democratic Alliance (DA), said it will not support any of the tabled budgets and its provincial leader Solly Msimanga, said on Wednesday that one of the key reasons was the significant lack of spending on the parts of departments when it came to grants from the national government.
“Gauteng residents deserve a government that is truly committed to ensuring that there is value for the money spent on service providers and that the pace of service delivery is increased,” Msimanga said.
Msimang said the DA remained concerned over whether the budget truly reflected and engaged the needs of the people.
“”They continue to put budgets that are aimed at just spending and not improving people’s lives. The budgets there are not aimed at growing the economy. The budget out there is not going to address the challenges at our hospitals and schools, safety and security,” he said.
Nciza, however, said he noted the rejection of the budget by the DA, and that its action illustrated its decision to position itself as an anti-transformation and anti-development party that showed no commitment to a stable and strong province.
“The fact that the DA is the only party that voted against the budget demonstrates its complete disregard for the people of Gauteng who stand to benefit from the programmes and projects of the provincial government,” he said.
He said it remained unsurprising, considering the party’s historical position of being in opposition to an inclusive and developmental agenda in the province.
MEC Maile said it was unfortunate that the DA’s rejection was based on falsehoods and propaganda, rather than on what the budget was actually attempting to achieve.
“We know that this other party and the ANC could not agree on working together in the province. So, this has nothing to do with the content of the budget, but everything to do with the narrow, selfish interests of this party,” he said.
In addition, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi criticised the DA’s rejection of the budget, and said Msimanga was nothing more than a puppet who should reassess the wishes of his masters.
“A rubberdoll must consult its creator at all times because what I have just said and delivered here comes from the national lekgotla that was attended by your leadership. You come here and oppose what your national leadership has adopted at a national level,” Lesufi said.
But Msimanga has dug in his heels in his rejection of the budget and said Lesufi had failed as head of the political administration to hold his MECs accountable, and called for performance management contracts for MECs and Heads of Departments (HODs).
“They must be signed and made public with timelines of what must be done and when it must be done so that we can hold you, your MECs and HODs to account, having something tangible we can look at,” he said.
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