Big chunk of Limpopo’s budget goes to health and education
The Limpopo MEC for treasury Seaparo Sekoati stated that 79,4 per cent of the 2021/22 provincial budget will be spent on education (47,4%) and health (32%).
Sekoati issued the departmental budget in the Limpopo Provincial Legislature recently. “It is very concerning that 68,1% of the total provincial expenditure budget is accounted for in the form of compensation of employees. This remains quite high and leaves very little resources for the provincial government to actually provide services to the people of Limpopo,” said the DA spokesperson for Provincial Treasury, Risham Maharaj.
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He said reduction inequitable share for the province, mainly due to outward movement in population numbers, points to a province failing to create opportunities. “This forces many of our residents, mainly youth, to seek greener pastures in other provinces.” In the address, Sekoati spoke of strategic interventions to save livelihoods centred around scaling public employment programmes and building the state’s capacity to implement an industrialisation programme. “There was no mention of plans to attract and increase private sector investment in the province. This is key to stimulating economic growth and job creation, because the province cannot be reliant on the state to create employment opportunities,” Maharaj said. “MEC Sekoati’s budget speech also failed to address plans or strategies to address accruals, corruption and the serious issue of the lack of consequence management for poor financial performance within provincial departments and municipalities. Without these strategies, the R40 million for the turnaround of Great North Transport and R1,1 billion to Road Agency Limpopo for operational costs and road maintenance, will be in vain.” Maharaj said there were, however, some positives to take from the budget speech. The R1,916 billion ringfenced for Covid-19 support and vaccine rollouts will be beneficial in strengthening the province’s Covid-19 response. The R1,1 billion for the Informal Settlement Upgrading Partnership Grant will also bring dignity to many Limpopo citizens. “We also welcome the focus on key preferential procurement from local SMMEs, the R100 million for the rollout of the E-Education strategy, R34,042 million for the sanitary dignity project, R20,5 million towards the revitalisation of agriculture and agro-processing value chain in the province, R38,5 million for the provincial theatre and amounts of R10,3 million each for municipal intervention and municipal support.”
