While applauding a well-crafted provincial budget by MEC Cronjé, but business people were concerned that there were a few areas that they would have liked to see covered in the provincial budget.
Speaking during the budget business breakfast sponsored by the First National Bank at Protea Hotel. Karradene in Umgababa, Gugu Myeni, said she would have liked to see more emphasis on the provincial budget of the skills development for the unemployed people in rural communities.
Some of the input included the need for an allocation of money towards the rehabilitation of the environment in Ugu District as well as a concern that some businesses are still owed money by certain government departments. Magagula said the purpose of the outreach is to present an opportunity to both business people and communities to hear how the provincial budget put together, allocated and what the priorities are for the province.
Speaking on behalf of the Sponsor, Regional Director for FNB, Nick Montso said both the First National Bank and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Treasury share the same mandate, namely the management of finances. “We intend keeping this relationship we started with KZN Treasury. Their initiative of “Operation Pay On Time” shows that the MEC Cronjé is really driving the discipline around financial management in KwaZulu-Natal.
Part of this is the matters of accountability. We have seen how the MEC has turned around the finances of this provinces and it is for this reason that we want to have a lasting relationship with KZN Treasury,” said Montso. Mayor of Ugu District Municipality, Cllr Ntombifikile Gumede said this post-budget roadshow is taking place when the district is also running its own roadshows on Integrated Development Plans.
“We insist on the principles of accountability and transparency. We want our communities to have a say in the budgeting processes. MEC Cronjé visit to our district therefore complements what we already have started,” she said.
Cronjé said the budget roadshows are meant to consult and communicate with business people and communities about how the provincial budget is put together, managed and shaped to address issues of development in KwaZulu-Natal.
“We want government to deliver more services, more efficiently, with less money and get value for money,” said Cronjé.
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