In the recently released First Quarterly Report on the financial performance of the Gauteng Provincial Government it was revealed that less than one per cent of the money made available for library services in the province had been spent. This is unfortunate news considering the need to improve the education service, especially for the poorer people in the province.
The report showed that only R499 000 had been spent of the R63 million budgeted for in the Community Library Services grant. This is disappointing considering that this money has been made freely available by the National Treasury specifically for this purpose.
“There is no excuse for such incompetence. Poor people find it very difficult to afford books. They are desperate for decent libraries. But they are made to suffer because the government doesn’t care enough to make sure staff do their jobs. If the DA were in charge then government employees would do the work they are supposed to and libraries would provide opportunities for people to improve their lives,” said Mike Moriarty MPL and DA Gauteng Finance spokesperson.
The Deputy Director for Libraries and Information Services, Athilla Lourens, questioned this report when the Record spoke to her. According to Lourens The City of Johannesburg received approximately R8 million for the financial year that have commenced on 1 July. This money the department receives in two payments, one of R3,8 million from the Department of Arts and Culture and R4 million from the province.
Lourens said that contrary to the information, of which she was not aware until the Record called her, the Department’s spending “is going very well”.
A project to build two new libraries in the City is also well under way.
