Education and Health receive huge chunk of North West Province’s budget
As in previous years, the Departments of Education and Training and Health in the North West received the biggest chunk of the province’s budget amounting to R31,8 billion for the 2014/15 financial year. The provincial fiscal framework is mainly funded from the equitable share and conditional grants which increased by 7.8 and 5.1 per cent respectively and provincial own revenue which increased by 17 percent, thanks to the implementation of the provincial revenue strategy.
Delivering the last budget of the current administration the MEC for Finance Paul Sebegoe today told legislature that the 2014/15 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) allocations responds to key national development plan objectives of improving education, training, innovation; promoting health, transforming human settlements and creation of an inclusive social protection system. The largest proportion of the provincial budget is allocated to Education at 39 per cent which increases budget from R11.522 billion in 2013/14 to R12.423 billion. Sebegoe said this translates to an increase of 7.8 per cent year-on-year.
This allocation is inclusive among others of funding of National School Nutrition Programme, Education Infrastructure, Learner Teacher Support Material and Provision of Workbooks to ensure that learners and educators are provided with basic Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) in accordance with the curriculum needs.
From 2014/15 to 2016/17 an allocation for the nutritional programme grows substantially by R1.150 billion in order to address the extension of this scheme to quintile 3 secondary schools. The programme is set to benefit almost 689 434 learners in 2014/15.The 2014/15 allocation includes an allocation of R35 million earmarked to address sanitation challenges at 33 schools.
The Department of Health received the second largest share of the budget at 26 per cent with a budget of R8.184 million. The allocation is mainly for funding Infrastructure Maintenance, Medical Supplies, Health Professions Training and Development, Comprehensive HIV and AIDS programme. Allocation for this programme has a consistent growth which is estimated at R3,1 billion over the 2014 MTEF.
“The Provincial government remains committed to the provision of quality basic health care services to all. Government’s medium term priorities include increasing life expectancy, decreasing maternal and child mortality and combating HIV and AIDS through strengthening the effectiveness of the health system,” said Sebegoe.
Other allocations are as follows: Social Development received R1.242 billion, Human Settlement, Public Safety and Liaison, (human settlement branch) got R1.763 billion to address housing backlog in the province and R522 million was apportioned to Public Safety branch. Sport, Arts and Culture was allocated R543 million, Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism obtained R625 million. Public Works, Roads and Transport and Agriculture and Rural Development were funded to the tune of R3,614 billion and R910 million respectively whilst office of the Premier’s allocation is R416 million.
Department of Finance was given R443 million and Local Government and Traditional Affairs was allocated R595 million and lastly R2612 million went to the Provincial Legislature.
In terms of infrastructure development an amount of R16 billion has been allocated to all departments except office of the Premier and Finance to make it possible for government to deliver on infrastructure projects in line with the national development plan
“I am confident that this budget allocation is fair, equitable, financially sustainable and, above all, responsible. It focuses on the key priorities reflected in the National Development Plan, and it recognises the role North West Province plays in achieving the quality of life for which South Africa is renowned,” he concluded.
Sebegoe said as the country celebrates twenty years of democratic dispensation, North West also has a good chapter to contribute to towards the good story the country is proud of.
“Unemployment in the province declined from 27,1 per cent in the second quarter of 2013 to 26,5 per cent in the third quarter whilst tourism in the province increased from a negative 4,1 per cent in 2008, at the height of the financial crisis, to 11,1 per cent in 2012, with international tourists having increased from 4,7 per cent to 14,4 per cent over the same period,” indicated Sebegoe, reiterating President Zuma affirmation that south Africa is now a better place to live in than before 1994.
For enquiries contact:
Ms Kesalopa Gill
Cell: 079 548 6352
E-mail: kgill@nwpg.gov.za
