Gauteng Service Delivery Dealt A Blow By Slow Release Of Funds

Gauteng Provincial Government – National Treasury

Five major Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) departments have yet to receive their allotted budget for the second quarter of this financial year due to the slow transfer of funds from National Treasury.

The departments of Roads and Transport, Community Safety, Agriculture and Rural Development, E-Government and Infrastructure Development, which should by now have received 50% or more of their equitable share from National Treasury are all low in the 40% region.

Of notable concern is the department of E-Governance, which to date has only received 40.8% of its allocated funding. This department is the nerve centre of government business in Gauteng. If it fails to fulfil its mandate due to financial constraints, it will have dire consequences for the other GPG departments.

Premier David Makhura’s Transformation, Modernisation and Re-Industrialisation Plan

In an effort to restructure the economy of Gauteng, Premier David Makhura’s Transformation, Modernisation and Re-Industrialisation (TMR) plan hinges on departments like Infrastructure and Agriculture for its success. However, without funding, it will be impossible for these departments to make in-roads to address economic growth and job creation.

As the country’s most populace province, it is imperative that these funds are made available to departments as soon as possible so that residents of Gauteng receive the service they deserve.

It is at this stage unclear as to why these funds have yet to be made available.

Premier David Makhura must engage his counterparts in national government to speed up the payment process as he has done with the issues surrounding monies owed to the Gauteng Department of Health.

Province’s Financial Obligations

If the process is delayed due to departments failing to comply with legislation, swift action must be taken against accounting officers in departments.

The DA will continue to ensure that the province’s financial obligations are met and that service delivery is not hampered.

 

 

Media Enquiries:

Adriana Randall MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC on Finance

060 556 4342

DA Welcomes Proposed Sale Of Gauteng Premier’s Official Residence

Premier’s Official Residence in Bryanston

I welcome the announcement today by Gauteng Premier David Makhura that the Premier’s Official Residence in Bryanston Johannesburg will be sold along with all houses owned by the Provincial Government.

He said this in an oral reply to my questions in the Legislature.

According to Makhura, the Department of Infrastructure Development has been given an express mandate to sell all houses owned by the Gauteng Provincial Government.

He said: “We are confident that this decision will not only save us money from maintenance but it will help raise additional resources to fund the TMR priorities such as student bursaries and rollout of Tshepo 500 000.”

Last year about 50 engagements and meetings were held at the Bryanston house, which costs about R1.5 million a year to run.

Emoyeni Conference Centre

Makhura said that more details about these meetings would be provided to me this week in response to an application I made in March this year in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).

It was revealed last year that R4.2 million was spent on the house since May 2014 when Premier Makhura took the decision not to live there.

My view is that it is much cheaper to use the province-owned Emoyeni Conference Centre or a private venue as the annual cost of the Bryanston house works out to about R30 000 a meeting just as a venue.

A lot of money could have been saved if the house was sold earlier as it is a white elephant.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Member the Oversight Committee on the Premier’s Office and Legislature

082 333 4222

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