EDITOR – The lack of consistency when it comes to expenditure of KZN departmental budgets, with massive fluctuation from one year to the next, is indicative of a severe lapse in financial controls and a lack of political will.
The unaudited 2014/15 financial reports, tabled recently in the KZN legislature, reveal an under-expenditure of R422-million for the year, with a total of 12 provincial departments seemingly incapable of spending their allocated funds successfully. The figure, the worst in several years, is a regression even worse than 2012/13 when the province under-spent its annual budget by R300-million rand with 11 departments cited.
The under-spending comes after a significant over-spend last year. It is unacceptable that, while our country and province face almost 40 per cent unemployment – the highest ever – almost half a billion Rand of the provincial budget remains unspent. The magnitude of this under-expenditure is a slap in the face of the poorest of the poor.
Financial stability is fundamental, particularly in the current shrinking economy. In an efficiently-run DA province, half a billion Rand in provincial budget would allow access to opportunities, job creation, independent economic freedom and, ultimately, personal dignity. The DA will scrutinise these financial reports, identify the failures and successes of each and recommend successful financial models in order to ensure sustained economic stability and growth for the people of the province.
Francois Rodgers – MPL
DA KZN Spokesman on Finance
