M Nkomfe: Gauteng Prov Budget 2009/10

24 February 2009

Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Honourable Premier, Paul Mashatile
Colleagues in the Executive Council
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature
Members of Parliament present here today
Mayors and Speakers from various municipalities
Heads of Department, Government officials and leaders of our agencies
Leaders of various political parties
Leaders of the business community
Distinguished guests
Learners from various schools in Gauteng
Comrades and friends
The people of Gauteng

"It is important to give simultaneous recognition to the centrality of
individual freedom and to the force of social influences on the extent and
reach of individual freedom. To counter the problems that we face, we have to
see individual freedom as a social commitment. Development consists of the
removal of various types of un-freedoms that leave people with little choices
and little opportunity of exercising their reasoned agency " - Amartya Sen
(1999) Development as Freedom.

Introduction

The Budget we present today seeks to embody a philosophy that lies deep in
the struggle for national liberation, a struggle that have ushered in the
democracy and freedom that we are all enjoying today. It is a philosophy of
people motivated by the desire as Amartya Sen said I quote to "remove the
various types of un-freedoms that leave people with little choices and little
opportunities of exercising their reasoned agency" and it in turn affirms
people inalienable Freedoms, freedom of association, freedom of speech, freedom
of expression and freedom to explore our capabilities and abilities.

Honourable Speaker,

The desire to "remove various types of un-freedoms" by our people was
informed by the understanding that "freedom is the primary aim of development,
and also the principal means of achieving it," meaning in order to emancipate
themselves from the conditions of abject poverty, the people of South Africa
must firstly strive for the attainment of political freedom and secondly for
the attainment of economic freedom. Hence, immediately after the attainment of
political freedom in 1994, the people of South Africa embarked on a journey to
attain economic freedom, this was exemplified by the amount of zeal expressed
in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), a programme that seeks
in the main to extricate them from the yoke of poverty and
underdevelopment.

Honourable Speaker, the 2009/10 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)
Budget, we are tabling today, allocates resources in a manner that seeks to
consolidate the 2004/09 mandate and lay a firm foundation for the incoming term
of office 2009/14. Through this Budget we seek to register and consolidate the
advances we have made in realising the Gauteng Provincial Government Five Year
Strategic Priorities 2004/2009.

Honourable Speaker allow me to remind the House about the Strategic
Priorities that we set for ourselves five years ago, namely:
* enabling faster economic growth and job creation
* fighting poverty and building safe, secure and sustainable communities
* developing healthy skilled and productive people
* deepening democracy and nation building
* realising the constitutional rights of our people as well as building an
effective and caring government.

As we table this Budget we are mindful of the massive progress we have
registered in meeting our Five Year Strategic Priorities. As the Honourable
Premier indicated in the State of the Province Address, we have indeed (as
Government) honoured our contractual obligation of Creating Work and Fighting
Poverty. In line with the decisions of the Executive Council and to further
strengthen our efforts in consolidating and completing the 2004/2009 mandate,
the 2009/10 MTEF is guided by four compelling principles:
* creating social security safety net for the vulnerable sections of our
society
* sustaining employment growth and expanding economic opportunities
* updating the fiscal policy framework for the province
* promote prudent management of public finances as defined in the provincial
five year plan and in 2008 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).

Economic outlook

Honourable Speaker, let me turn to the economic outlook.

Global Economy

The 2009/10 Budget is tabled against the background of a global economy that
can be characterised as the Economy in recession, the United States (US),
Eurozone and Japan are effectively in recession with the United Kingdom (UK)
having formerly made an announcement in this regard in January 2009. The
recession is largely because of the credit crunch that started in the US in
September 2008, and rapidly spread like wild fire to the rest of the world.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) world Economic Outlook Update
projects that, world growth will slow from 5,2% in 2007 to 3,4% in 2008 and
0,5% in 2009, this is the deepest crisis since the Great Depression of 1929. It
is expected that there will be an annual contraction for advanced economies by
two percent in 2009. Growth projections for both emerging and developing
countries are also expected to slow down sharply from 6,3% in 2008 to 3,3% in
2009.

Honourable Speaker, South Africa is of no exception to the devastating
impact of the global financial crisis. The slump in the global demand has led
to a collapse in commodity prices which in turn has led to a slowdown in
earnings by the commodity-exporting sectors.

Close to 60% of our exports were destined for the United States (US),
European Union (EU) and Japan and the contraction of demand from those
economies is going to have a direct impact on our manufacturers and the labour
they employ (we have heard in the past weeks that some of the platinum
producing mines are intending to retrench close to about 10 000 workers).

Prospects for South African economy

Despite our interconnectedness with the rest of the world, South Africa
avoided recession due to sound fiscal management. South African economy is
estimated to have slowdown to 3,1% in 2008 after an impressive growth rate of
five percent in the past four years. It is estimated to slow down further to
1,2% in 2009 before it recovers to four percent in 2011. Household consumption
has slowed down in response to the tighter monetary policy before the fourth
quarter of 2008.

Honourable Members we provide this information not because we enjoy
statistics and numbers but because of the significance of these in our
circumstances (we are of the view in order for us to come with a realistic
response to our challenges we need to understand the nature and depth of our
challenges).

The Provincial Economic Outlook

Gauteng contributes the lion's share of SA economic output and thus income,
therefore any projected slowdown in economic growth implies a reduction in
provincial economic growth. Over the past four years the provincial economy has
average an annual growth rate of 5,9%. According to Statistics
South Africa, unemployment rate was at 19,5% in 2007.
Honourable Speaker, we are aware of the difficult times we are facing and we
are equally aware of the difficult times that might lie ahead, but as
government we want to assure the People of Gauteng that, we remain committed to
reduce the levels of unemployment and to fight poverty. And that we are on
course to achieve high level of economic growth and development.

Our optimism is informed by the fact that, in the next three years the
Provincial Government will invest in infrastructural Projects, valued at around
R40 billion rand in transport, construction, roads and related infrastructure
in FIFA World Cup, coupled with National and Local Infrastructural investment
in the province. This is expected to be a major stimulus for economic growth
and development. We have also encouraged Development Finance Institutions to
explore innovative ways to finance strategic infrastructural projects.

Honourable Speaker we are making all this state-led intervention with the
understanding that economic development, as Albert Hirschman (1958) alluded, I
quote "depends not so much on finding optimal combinations for given resources
and factors of production as on calling forth and enlisting for development
purposes resources and abilities that are hidden, scattered, or badly
utilised", we are hoping that by rolling out this massive infrastructural
programme, economic centres that are "hidden, scattered, or badly utilised"
will be ignited and channelled towards the creation of new wealth that is
required to achieve high rate of economic growth and development. If the
infrastructure investment drive succeeds then it could partially mute the
impact of the global credit crisis in our economy, because it is funded
directly from government coffers.

Honourable Speaker, infrastructure investment is our economic fiscal
stimulus package (if the US and parts of EU are investing in the Banks in the
form of Bail-Out, we are investing in infrastructural projects that are
sustainable and have long term impact on our economy and the lives of our
people). To this end, Government investment to the Expanded Public Works
Program will be stepped up in the coming years to provide both necessary skills
and employment.
We are working with the manufacturing sectors to develop programmes to assist
them on curbing potential job losses and expanding their capacity to create
decent work for sustainable livelihood. We recently introduced as the Premier
reflected in the State of the Province Address a support programme for the
ailing automotive sector.

Honourable Speaker, all these things that we mentioned earlier won't happen
by themselves, they need a different type of the state a developmental state,
according to Roberto Mangabeira Unger I quote "a state able to formulate and
implement policy with a substantial measure of independence from the interest
of the propertied elite. Such a state can initiate some of the structural
reforms, such as agrarian reform, necessary to National development. It can
also give to an activist economic policy measure of protection against the
perversities of clientelistic corruption, preventing the partnership between
government and private firms from generating into straightforward collusion
between business and bureaucratic elite". That is the kind of state that can
take South Africa to the next phase of social development.

Achievements and success

Honourable Speaker we have indeed as the Honourable Premier reflected in his
State of the Province Address we have "removed various types of un-freedoms
that leave people with little choice and opportunity of exercising their
reasoned agency."

Some of the "un-freedoms" that the Provincial Government was able to remove
in the last five years in order for the people of Gauteng to realise their
"reasoned agency" include;

* Creating an enabling economic environment

The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has developed and implemented a wide
range of policies and strategies to stimulate and facilitate shared economic
growth and development. These include:
* The province's Growth and Development Strategy, which sets a target of eight
percent economic growth to be achieved by 2014 and reflects a number of key
interventions and levers that GPG will invest into reach this target.
* The 2010 Strategic Framework, which has provided the foundation for the
province to host the important FIFA 2010 World Cup at international standards
and in a way that leaves a lasting legacy of infrastructure development, sports
development, job creation, increased tourism attraction and other economic
benefits.
* The GPG's Broad based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) strategy and
strategies to promote small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and
co-operatives, which have contributed to transforming the economic sector to be
more representative of the demographics of the province and to bridging the gap
between the first and second economies.
* The perspective and implementation plan to build Gauteng as an integrated,
globally competitive city region in which the different parts of the province
complement each other to ensure greater prosperity and socially
inclusivity.
* The Gauteng Spatial Development Perspective, which provides the basis for
spatial planning and public and private investment in a manner that takes into
account both economic and social objectives

Creating jobs-reducing unemployment and poverty

Despite growing numbers of job seekers in the province due to in-migration
and population growth, unemployment levels in the province have dropped by 6,4%
since 2003 to the current level of 19,5%. While this remains unacceptably high,
it is evident that government interventions are having a positive impact.

During this term of government, the GPG created an estimated 200 000 short
to long-term jobs in infrastructure development, property management, creative
industries, tourism, safety and security, community development and healthcare.
These include:
* The implementation of the EPWP created over 128 000 short-term jobs, of which
1200 were for people with disabilities. A further 30 430 people with
disabilities are employed in protective workshops run by government.
* The GPG's road construction and maintenance programmes created over 6 000
jobs and social infrastructure development projects created approximately 10
000 jobs.
* A total of 3 474 jobs were created in performing property management
functions, of which 494 were women, 1 011 youth and 139 people with
disabilities.
* Jobs were also created in the cultural industries, safety and security, food
security, agriculture and conservation, housing and health sectors

Honourable Speakers, the progress we have made in the previous years
indicates that we have indeed honoured our obligations (as Government)
emanating from a contract that we entered with the People of Gauteng in 2004 of
creating jobs and fighting poverty, and we have indeed laid a solid foundation
for the next term of office to realise vision 2014.

It is this progress that makes us to unequivocally and unambiguously say
that "we have removed various forms of un-freedoms that leave people with
little choices and little opportunities to exercising their reasoned
agency".

Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure

Honourable Speaker, allows me to turn my attention and that of the House to
the main aspect of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Budget
allocations.
The 2009/10 MTEF budget is reflective of the five year GPG priorities for the
term of office 2004/2009, which were largely about the removal of
un-freedoms.

It seeks to ensure that we successfully complete our current term of
governance and lay a solid foundation for the next term of government.
Honourable Speaker this budget is also in line with the Medium Term Budget
Policy Statement we tabled before this House in November last year.

Honourable Speaker, despite all the challenges that are facing our economy,
this budget does not steer away from our commitment to the people of Gauteng of
ensuring a better life for all, it is geared towards expanding the social
services, that government provides to the most vulnerable sections of our
society. The combined expenditure for social services is 68% in 2009/10 and
rises to 75% in 2011/12.

The projected revenue for the 2009/10 financial year is R59,4 billion. This
amount consists of an equitable share transfer of R38,9 billion, conditional
grants of R13,3 billion, Gautrain loan proceeds of R4,2 billion from national
government and the province's own revenue amounts to R3 billion. The total
expenditure for the 2009/10 financial year amounts to R55,3 billion, before
clearing the expenditure on Gautrain of an amount of R3,8 billion that took
place in 2008/09. I will now focus on how the 2009/10 MTEF budget will be
allocated to individual departments.

Department of Health

The Freedom Charter commits us to a preventive Health Scheme run by the
state; free medical care and hospitalisation provided for all, with special
care for Mothers and Young Children. As part of honouring those noble
expectations of our people as expressed in the Freedom Charter, an amount of
R308,9 million is allocated to reduce infant and child mortality.

In line with the government's priority of producing healthy, skilled and
productive people, we are allocating R489,8 million over the MTEF for the
treatment of the spread of the extreme and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis
(XDR and MDR TB), an amount of R110,2 million is allocated over the same period
for the provincialisation of the TB beds.

An amount of R564,5 million over the MTEF is set aside to address the
conditions of service for healthcare workers and the implementation of
Occupation Specific Dispensation for nurses in the province. In order to make
the primary health care available for the people of Gauteng, a total of R429,8
million is allocated. A total amount of R763,5 million is set aside for the
construction of both Natalspruit and Chris Hani Baragwanath hospitals. Chris
Hani Baragwanath will be constructed through the public-private partnership
(PPP) arrangement; discussions are at an advanced stage in this regard.

Honourable Speaker the budget for the Department of Health is adjusted to
R16,5 billion in 2009/10 before it rises to R19,8 billion in the outer year of
the MTEF.

Department of Education

In the quest to improve quality and universal access to education, the
nationally agreed funding of priority for the Department of Education over the
MTEF relate to: Extension of the No Fee School Policy to quintile three
schools

Expansion of the teachers to reduce the teacher to leaner ratio in quintile
one schools and provision of inclusive education to accommodate learners with
special needs in mainstream and special schools.

In the financial year 2009/10 the No Fee School Policy will cover up to 60%
of total learners in the province, the allocated amount for this purpose is
R651,7 million over the MTEF. In addition to the total R52,1 million allocated
for the provision of inclusive education (2011/12), total funding available for
this purposes increases to R223,1 million in the outer year.

We are further setting aside an amount to the tune of R1,5 billion over the
MTEF for the Gauteng City Region Academy to ensure that we have the relevant
knowledge, skills and talent required to sustain the modern economy.

An amount of R113,2 million is allocated for scholar transport; R1,1 billion
is allocated for teaching support material to support new curriculum. An amount
of R1,6 billion is allocated to the provision of school infrastructure. The
Department will further receive an amount of R532 million for the expansion of
the Grade facilities to cater for about 91 800 learners targeted for 2010.

The allocation for this department is set to increase from R16,5 billion in
2008/09 to R19 billion in 2009/10. Honourable Speaker over the MTEF, we are
making available a total of R63,1 billion towards the department of education.
This is a practical expression of our resolute commitment to "open the doors of
learning to all."

Department of Social Development
Honourable Speaker as government we hold a view that early childhood education
is a foundation for human beings to realise their full creative abilities, (be
it in Sport, Arts and Culture and Academia Early Education matters the most).
Given that understanding, over the MTEF the Department of Social Development is
allocated R467,7 million towards Early Childhood Development, which will be
utilised towards the upgrading of facilities to meet international
standard.

The other key areas receiving funding in the department relate to
implementation of the occupation specific dispensation for the welfare
services, development of monitoring and evaluation capacity for the welfare
services, expansion of home and community based care and expansion of services
to children in conflict with the law. A total amount of R264 million is
allocated over the MTEF to fund these key areas. The total amount allocated to
the Department is R6,5 billion over the MTEF.

Honourable speaker our resolute commitment to reduce the levels of
unemployment, fight poverty and underdevelopment requires all of us to look
beyond the fiscus to finance our developmental imperatives and to look at those
sectors that we believe have the potential to unlock economic growth and
development in the province.

Economic development

The Department of Economic Development continue to play a catalytic role in
ensuring that the provincial economy grows at levels that are sustainable, also
ensuring that necessary intervention are made towards those sectors that have
potential for major labour absorption. Key priorities for this department for
the coming year are: to strengthen trade and investment, to make targeted
intervention in key strategic sectors and to ensure that public entities and
agencies are performing at an optimal level.

Honourable Speaker, the department's budget is expected to increase to
R913,7 million in 2009/10 to R1,1 billion 2010/12 and R1,2 billion in
2011/12.

Department of Housing

Honourable Speaker the provision of Housing to the People of Gauteng is one
of the key tenets of service delivery, because to us (Government) housing is
not only about building houses. It is also about transforming our cities and
towns into homes and building cohesive, sustainable communities with closer
access to work, social amenities, including sports and recreational
facilities.

In line with this understanding the MTEF allocates an additional amount of
R425,1 million for such purposes. An amount of R272,8 million is earmarked for
the continuation of the Alexandra renewal project. An amount of R152,3 million
is set aside for the implementation of the identified infrastructure and other
projects in the 20 Prioritised Township Programme.

Honourable Speaker the Department is allocated a total amount of R12,7
billion over the MTEF to continue to provide affordable houses and eradicate
the informal settlement in our province.

Department of Local Government

Local Government is a focal point of interaction between the people and
Government. As such the Provincial Government through the Department of Local
Government continues to lend its support to municipalities by promoting
capacity through programmes such as Project Consolidate and Siyenza-Manje in a
systematic manner. It is with this understanding that an additional amount of
R676,7 million over the MTEF is made available to the Department, of which a
total of R2909 million is set aside for key programmes including the Community
Development Workers, disaster management and revenue management.

A total of R219,7 million is allocated for the Community Development Workers
programme. In order to improve the municipal revenue raising capacity, a total
of R31,1 million is allocated for the Revenue Enhancement Project.

A total of R40 million is allocated for the disaster management including
the acquisition of a mobile disaster management centre to ensure a safe 2010
World Cup within the province.

Public Transport, Roads and Works

The Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works remain central in
unleashing massive infrastructural programmes. It is within this context that
an amount of R11,7 billion is allocated over the MTEF to fund infrastructural
programmes.
These programmes relate to the construction of Gautrain Rapid Link,
implementation of EPWP, Road Infrastructure, and Kopanong Precinct project.

The provincial allocation to augment the national funding for the
construction of the Gautrain Rapid Link project totals R6,3 billion over the
MTEF. The provincial allocation to augment the national funding for the
construction of the Gautrain Rapid Link project totals R6,3 billion and a total
of R1,6 billion is allocated to augment the road infrastructure conditional
grant over the MTEF.
Community Safety The department of Community Safety receives a total allocation
of R189,9 million for funding provincial key programmes over the MTEF. These
programmes include implementation of the road safety projects and promotion of
good community and policy relations.

In enhancing our road safety programme, an amount of R38 million is
allocated in 2009/10 which rises to of R39,7 million and R41,6 million in
2010/11 and 2011/12 respectively. The department further receives a total
amount of R35,8 million for safety promotion through Ikhaya Lethemba that
provides a comprehensive package of services for abused children and women. To
further assist in the victim empowerment, funds totalling R4,9 million are
allocated for the reconceptualisation of the decentralised victim empowerment
model.

Agriculture, conservation and environment

A total allocation of R506,8 million over the MTEF is set aside for the
provincial key programmes including agriculture priorities and projects such as
waste minimisation, agro-processing and homestead gardens. A total of R103,6
million is earmarked for the implementation of the integrated waste management
(including air pollution minimisation) practice in the province.

For its contribution to the Gauteng Development Strategy, agro-processing is
allocated R65,1 million. An amount of R1,5 million is allocated for
continuation of wetland rehabilitation projects. The other allocations relate
to the implementation of the essential oils, floriculture, and biotechnology
projects and agricultural hubs (R9,3 million).

As an attempt to encourage the community to produce food for their homes, an
allocation of R7,5 million is made available for the homestead gardens
projects.
In order to assist vulnerable farming communities to increase agricultural
production by 10 to 15 percent, the Ilima/Letsema Projects have been
introduced, an amount of R2,5 million in 2009/10 has been set aside for this
purpose before it rises to R10 million in 2010/11 and R20 million in 2011/12
respectively.

Sport, arts, culture and recreation

The department receives a total allocation of R148,2 million for funding the
provincial priorities over the MTEF. In relation to the implementation of the
Integrated Sport Development Policy Framework a total of R18,2 million is
allocated for the sports academy, R21,9 million is allocated for the SoccerEx,
R19, 2 million is allocated for the Under 17 Soccer Championship and R30
million is allocated for the competitive sport.

The Creative Industries Development Strategy that aims at developing
artists, communities, networks as well as arts and cultural events is allocated
R6,6 million. Funds totalling R36,2 million are allocated for the craft
projects, music and performing arts as well as commemorative days and
events.
In relation to the 2010 World Cup Strategy an amount of R3 million is allocated
for 2010 World Cup Framework implementation and a total of R13 million is
allocated for the communication and marketing.

Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC)
The GSSC receives total allocation of R3.8 billion over the MTEF, out of which
a total of R1,6 billion is set aside for key programmes including the Gauteng
On line, e-government services and IT security services.

Funds totalling R1,2 billion are allocated for increasing access of schools
to computer services through the rollout of the Gauteng On line. In order to
improve the stakeholder access to government information and services from a
central point, a total of R313,9 million is allocated for the e-government
services.

The GSSC receives a total of R151,9 million for the IT security to safeguard
government information.

Gauteng Treasury

The Gauteng Treasury receives total allocation of R660,8 million over the
MTEF, out of which a total of R243,8 million is earmarked for the Gauteng Fund
Project Office that explores alternative ways of financing strategic
infrastructure projects in the province. The department also receives an amount
of R14 million over the MTEF through infrastructure conditional grant amounting
to monitor infrastructure development and implementation in the province.

Baseline adjustments

Departments are allocated R4,3 billion over the MTEF to address all aspects
of personnel policy. This amount, which is included in the current baselines,
caters for the general salary increases, carry through costs for personnel and
increase in departmental establishment. Adjustments to baseline amounts took
full account of anticipated cost increase on goods and services, consistent
with the outlook for inflation published by the National Treasury.

Office of the Premier

Funding made available to the Office of the Premier over the MTEF relates
mainly to the building of Gauteng as a Global City Region and the mainstreaming
of youth services. Funds totalling R29,1 million have been allocated for the
establishment of Global City Region Observatory. Funds gradually increasing
from R41,7 million to R43,6 million annually from 2009/10 to 2011/12 have been
allocated to the Gauteng Youth Commission to implement the youth-related
activities in the province.

Conclusion

Honourable Speaker, this is the sixth budget that we are tabling to this
House during the Third Term of our Democratic Legislative Session. It is
therefore a bridge between the Third and the Fourth term of the
legislature.

Honourable Members would have noticed that in presenting this Budget we have
made available resources in a manner that seek to consolidate the Five Year
Priorities of the current term. We have also allocated resources in a manner
that give the next term of office a space to manoeuvre and put their own
priorities.

We are acutely aware that the challenges we face are enormous and that
resources at our disposal are never enough to meet the needs of the people.
Nonetheless we are confident that, this Budget is a step in a right direction
and it will go a long way in "removing various form of un-freedom that leaves
people with little choice and opportunity in realising their reasoned
agency".

We wish to urge departments to identify efficiency gains to improve budget
outcomes and deliver more efficient public services. By identifying leakages or
inefficiencies in the system departments will be able to direct resources
towards core service delivery items and reduce "non-essential items".

Efficiency gains can be achieved through reducing activities such as limited
usage of consultant, improved contract management, consumables, travel and
subsistence, marketing and advertising, non-essential telecommunications,
entertainment costs.
The identification of efficiency gains exercise aims to achieve more and better
results for the public using the same level of resource, not by making cuts in
services. It is critical for the accounting officers and chief financial
officers to ensure that efficiency agenda forms part of core departmental
planning and performance management process.

As we complete the 2004/2009 Election Mandate and prepare for the next term
of office 2009/2014, let us recall the inspiring words of our former Head of
State President Mbeki during the 1999 inauguration of the President of the
Republic of South Africa, using a metaphor of A Comrade Marathon he said I
quote "those who complete the course will do so only because they do not, as
fatigue sets in, convince themselves that the road ahead is still to long, the
inclines too steep, the loneliness impossible to bear and the prize itself of
doubtful value"

Honourable members, as Representatives of the People of Gauteng, we must
together run our own Comrade Marathon, as Comrades who are ready to take to the
road together, refusing to be discouraged by the recognition that the "road is
too long, the inclines very steep, the loneliness impossible to bear and the
prize itself of doubtful value".

Acknowledgements

Honourable Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank the Premier Paul
Mashatile for his visionary leadership. The Premier continues to be the pillar
of our strength in the Executive Council. I wish to thank my colleagues,
Members of the Executive Council for their continued support to my
department.
I also wish to thank, our provincial head of treasury, Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala
and her team for the good work they continue to do as well as the prudent
management of our resources.

My appreciation also goes to the Chairperson of the Finance Committee, the
Honourable Bheki Qhude'limzwezwe Nkosi, for the constructive manner in which he
continues with the department. I appreciate the support of all members of the
Finance Committee. Your wisdom has brought considerable strength to our
financial process. My appreciation also goes to my wife Nomalanga for her
on-going support. Let me also thank my family and friends for their support and
encouragement.

I wish to acknowledge the presence on this House of learners from various
schools in Gauteng. Many of these learners have taken part in an essay
competition on the provincial budget organised by Gauteng Treasury.
I wish all those who took part in this year's competition all the best in their
studies this year, after the session in the House I will be awarding prizes to
the learners who wrote best essays. These learners wrote on, "How can the
Gauteng Provincial Government Spend Resources/Money to improve the conditions
of the Gauteng Citizens"

Honourable Speaker, I now present to the House the following documents for
consideration.
* the Appropriation Bill for 2009
* the Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill
* budget statement one, two and three
* the budget booklet
* the Socio-Economic Review
* a copy of my speech

Ke a leboga.

Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
24 February 2009