Introduction
Humans are creatures of habit and what we repeatedly do, defines us as individuals and ultimately as a nation. Excellence then, to rephrase a famous quote by Aristotle, is not an act or a skill, but a habit of doing ordinary things extraordinary well.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Treasury will continue to cultivate the "habit of excellence" and build upon the progress we have made in making our vision to "be the centre of excellence in financial and fiscal management in the country" a reality. Through this statement of intent we are committed to further improve on the Provincial Treasury's functions of financial oversight and support.
Sound financial management makes the difference between goals achieved and opportunities missed. Government cannot afford to lose any chance to improve the lives of our people, the only true measure of good governance.
Economist and Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman said: "Nobody spends somebody else's money as carefully as he spends his own. Nobody uses somebody else's resources as carefully as he uses his own".
Given the huge resource gap we have, we have no choice other than to treat public money as if it is our own, because it is in fact our "own" money, i.e. tax payers' money. However, we can only spend the money of our people wisely if we have a collective culture of responsible spending in our provincial and local governments.
This means that we must spend scarce resources effectively, efficiently and economically. Value for money is paramount. DOING MORE WITH LESS must be our watch word. We have intensified our engagement with our clients to achieve in the following areas of good governance, namely:
* clean audit reports
* elimination of fraud and corruption
* transparent supply chain management practices and
* on-budget expenditure.
To enable us to monitor progress, we have identified key areas of work as well as performance and financial management information as indicators. Through policy interventions, meetings, reports, publications, seminars and research we are committed to provide ongoing, effective and efficient support services to our internal and external clients.
We will:
* ensure equitable resource allocations for the province of KwaZulu-Natal
* analyse and monitor government revenue and expenditure in the provincial and local spheres, including public entities
* instil prudent financial management and good governance
* do robust public policy research and
* contribute to the realisation of government policy priorities by ensuring that government interventions in the economy are targeted, efficient, sustainable, and empower our people.
In my budget speech last year I committed myself and the Provincial Treasury to build strong relationships with all MECs and their Departments, as well as all local government authorities. These relationships are built on trust and effective advice and support. To this end I promised regular interaction with the MECs and their departments on the financial status of the Province to promote sound relationships between the Provincial Treasury and departments.
This process has been highly successful and I thank my colleagues and their management teams for working with us as partners in good governance during the 2009/10 financial year. Indeed the financial medicine we prescribed was not sweet, given the challenging environment where we all compete for a share of the limited fiscal resources.
But, like medicine, the test of its value is not in its taste, but in its effects. We are pleased to report that through this team work with the members of the executive and their departments, indications are that the Province is ending the 2009/10 financial year with a more favourable outcome than originally anticipated.
We have indeed honoured our commitment to spending the money of our people wisely.
Commitment of the Provincial Treasury
Our endeavours for the 2010/11 financial year will again be directed towards the following goals:
* Continued support and assistance to departments, public entities and municipalities to ensure further improvement in the audit outcomes, culminating in overall clean audits even before 2014
* Effective steps toward the detection and elimination of fraud and corruption in government through our Internal Audit branch
* Ensuring transparent, effective and fair supply chain management practices
* On budget expenditure (in all departments) through effective budget and cash management
* A further significant improvement in the provincial cash position and
* Enhanced monitoring of and assistance to municipalities and public entities to ensure prudence in financial management.
The Provincial Treasury will continue to support departments, public entities and municipalities through guidance, monitoring and assistance, as their performance is vital to the achievement of these goals. Good governance and prudent financial management are prerequisites for the improvement of service delivery. We must continue to ensure that public funds are spent wisely, transparently and towards the improvement of the lives of all our people.
Constrains in the Provincial Treasury
Two major constraints exist within the Provincial Treasury:
Cash flow
Firstly, the cash situation of the province still requires robust and careful management. The systems implemented to monitor the situation on a daily basis with monthly reporting to the executive council, as well as the implementation of the cost cutting measures, have been highly successful. This success, however, was eroded by the underfunding of the higher than budgeted wage agreement and Occupation Specific Dispensations (OSD) for health and education officials of some R1,1 billion.
Despite this most departments were able to reduce expenditure resulting from the Cabinet approved provincial recovery plan, with some even lowering their projected year-end spending beyond the level they agreed to as part of the provincial recovery plan. A few departments did not reach their envisaged targets.
However, they have shown substantial improvement in spending levels during the last quarter of 2009/10. Once we have finalised the year-end figures, we will be able to make available the exact situation per department. We need to stay on crisis watch and continue with our collective effort to restore the health of our provincial balance sheet.
In Treasury, as well as in my own office, we will continue to vigorously enforce the 21 cost cutting measures adopted by Cabinet and implemented in 2009/10. Provincial Treasury has even taken the measures one step further with some additional measures:
For example, we have reduced telecommunication costs by:
* engaging all service providers directly to negotiate discounted rates
* installing a least cost routing system that automatically searches and connects telephone calls through a cheaper carrier at any point in time
* introducing a password system on all landline extensions to eliminate unlawful use of telephones by persons other than the owners of those extensions
* monthly monitoring of telephone usage of each extension line and alerting the user where use has been excessive. All private telephone calls are paid for by the user
High vacancy rate
Treasury's second constraint is the high vacancy rate, in particular at senior management level. Five of the 15 top managerial posts in the Treasury are presently vacant, placing additional strain on the Treasury's ability to provide assistance and to effectively monitor performance.
We have now filled the post of head of department but this renders the senior general manager post vacant. The Treasury has sourced in some assistance as an interim measure but needs to fill these posts urgently. We regard these posts as critical for service delivery and most of the vacancies will be advertised and filled early in this financial year.
As with most finance institutions, Provincial Treasury struggles to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, capable and dedicated staff. Talent management would include finding solutions to the high vacancy rates in finance components across both local and provincial government spheres, as well as career planning, retention strategies and competency building.
To this end, the KwaZulu-Natal Treasury will continue with its Accelerated Development programme aimed at unemployed graduates who obtained qualifications in the required scarce skills category but who lack relevant experience. The programme allows individuals to be appointed in training positions to bridge the experience gap.
A total of 25 employees within the Internal Audit unit have benefited since the inception of the programme in 2007. This programme is additional to the internship programme where 35 unemployed graduates have been given practical work experience in different units of the Provincial Treasury for the 2009/10 financial year. And we have just taken in a new group of 38 interns for the 2010/11 financial year, with three being placed in my Office.
Overview per programme for the 2010/11 financial year
I will now deal specifically with the main service delivery objectives of and funding for each of the Treasury's programmes for the 2010/11 financial year.
Programme one: Administration: R193,840 million (up from R175,420 million)
The increase, apart from the inflationary adjustments, is mainly due to the increase in the scope of auditing, as well as the fees of the Auditor-General. This programme caters for two main functions, namely the executive direction and overall managerial and corporate functions, as well as the management of the transversal computerised financial management systems of the province.
It comprises the offices of the MEC, head of department, chief financial officer, corporate services, human resource management and supporting and interlinked financial systems. Both the MEC for finance and head of the department have ongoing national commitments in the budget council and other national structures, which require substantial funding for transport and subsistence. Money has been allocated for this purpose.
Funds for the promotion of communication with all the people of our province are also included in the MEC and head of department budgets. Our efforts to establish real dialogue between government and ordinary citizens will continue. The communications budget is accommodated in this programme, with additional funding for budget awareness programmes and special projects being funded in programme five.
True communication goes beyond providing people with information to interacting in a two way process of sharing ideas, knowledge and opinions. My office will continue to organise business breakfasts, community izimbizo, financial literacy campaigns and other information sharing and gathering events that offer invaluable opportunities for citizen participation.
I have repeatedly stated that as government we cannot cut ourselves off from the people whom we serve. The Inter-Governmental Relations (IGR) unit, together with the Economic Analysis unit (in programme two) have launched an Economic Forum for all government economists within Provincial Treasuries and Departments for Economic Development in all provinces last year.
This will enable government to share information and resources. In addition the Unit launched internal macro-economic quarterly seminars to serve as a platform to inform and debate important issues that are relevant and significant to the provincial economy and provincial government.
However, as part of our cost cutting measures we have reduced the cost of such events dramatically by using existing venues, reducing guest lists and participating in joint ventures with business and other departments. We have also received sponsorship for some events from financial institutions.
In addition we ensure that we get the best value for the money we spend by scrutinising the cost of each and every expenditure item. We are indeed doing more with less!
The highest budget in programme one is allocated to the sub-programme: Supporting and Interlinked Financial Systems (R101,248 million). These funds are mainly for the transversal financial systems utilised by the province.
I am pleased to announce that the biometric access control system (BACS) project has now been installed for basic accounting system (BAS) and personnel salary system (PERSAL) users in all departments. It is already operating in most departments, while some Departments are still in the process of registering some of their staff members. The system requires the use of a finger print to log into BAS and PERSAL and replace the password system. It will to a large extent eliminate password irregularities and fraud.
The current supplier's database has severe limitations and does not adequately meet the business requirements of the province. The user requirements specification was submitted for competitive bids and the development of the new system is scheduled for completion by July 2010.
All suppliers will then be required to re-register and it is anticipated that the new Supplier’s Data Base will be operational in this financial year. Not only will the new system oblige suppliers to update their information but it will also identify civil servants who are part of entities registered on the data base.
Programme two: Fiscal Resource Management: R66,442 million (up from
R57,701 million)
The purpose of this programme is the effective management and monitoring of the provincial and local government fiscal resources and budget processes as per our legal mandate. We will continue to ensure fiscal stability in the province by closely monitoring departmental and municipal revenue and expenditure.
The sub-programmes: Public Finance, Economic Analysis and Infrastructure Development provide an informed and well researched fiscal framework for the allocation of resources and the monitoring of expenditure trends against the appropriated funds.
These functions include:
* the economic analysis of the province
* the monitoring of infrastructure spending and management of the medium term expenditure framework (MTEF) process and
* the preparation of the estimates of provincial expenditure and control of the in-year monitoring systems.
Provincial own revenue is responsible for improvement of revenue generated by the province, to augment transfers from National Treasury. Its mandate includes conducting continuous assessments of revenue generation and collection capacity of all KwaZulu-Natal departments, researching and proposing ways that own revenue may be enhanced.
A notable highlight of the past year is the improvement in the amount of own revenue generated by the Province. The latest published figures of the 2009/10 financial year projected an over collection of provincial own revenue of R154.077 million.
The functions of the provincial Budget Management unit are process driven and are largely determined by statutory deadlines as stipulated in the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). These include the tabling of main and adjustment appropriations, within set regulated periods, as well as monthly, quarterly and annual reporting.
The unit was able to meet all its deadlines in the past year and I am confident that they will continue their excellent performance in this financial year. A crucial unit in this programme is the Municipal Finance unit, which gives effect to the duties and functions assigned to Provincial Treasury in the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
This unit monitors the budgets of municipalities to establish whether they promote sound fiscal management; it also monitors implementation of municipal budgets, which includes expenditure, revenue collections and borrowing. This is an area that needs to be given more attention if government wishes to ensure service delivery to ordinary people. This is where the real differences are made to the everyday lives of the citizens of this province.
This unit is responsible for the Municipal Support programme (MSP) that was launched in November 2007. The aim of the project is to assist the municipalities in improving their capacity to meet their financial obligations and commitments which will ensure that they provide services to their communities.
The project seeks to identify the causes of financial problems experienced by the municipalities and to implement measures through a financial recovery plan that will place the municipalities in a sound and sustainable financial position.
The municipal finance environment is characterised by the following major challenges:
* Credibility of municipal budgets impacting on the sustainability of municipalities
* Lack of skilled human capital compromising service delivery
* Lack of accurate reporting impacting on analysis of viability
* escalating municipal debt having a direct impact on the sustainability of municipalities
* Consistent under expenditure on capital budgets compromising municipal infrastructure and
* Under utilisation of conditional grants.
The MSP within the Municipal Finance Unit has had a positive impact on the financial management of municipalities. Using the audit outcomes as a measurement of the municipalities supported through the MSP it is evident that the support programme has yielded notable success.
The audit opinions of municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal for the financial year ending 30 June 2009 indicate a significant improvement from the 2007/08 financial year:
* 43 Municipalities received an unqualified audit opinion with other matters in the 2008/09 financial year, compared to 38 municipalities in the 2007/08 financial year
* Eight municipalities received a qualified audit opinion in the 2008/09 financial year, a decrease from 13 in the 2007/08 financial year
* No municipality received an adverse audit opinion in the 2008/09 financial year which is an improvement from 1 in the 2007/08 financial year
* Nine municipalities received a Disclaimer audit opinion which is the same number that received a disclaimer audit opinion in the 2007/08 financial year.
Since the inception of the MSP in November 2007, some 23 municipalities have been or are being supported through the MSP. Provincial Treasury is proposing the introduction of new initiatives, in addition to those implemented in the current program, to enhance and improve the standard of municipalities' performance.
Members will note that we propose a substantial increase for the total Municipal Finance unit budget from R34,417 million to R46,903 million. This increased allocation is mainly to ensure that Provincial Treasury has adequate human and financial resources to ensure financial management support is extended to more municipalities.
All municipalities and provincial departments must be achieving unqualified audit opinion reports by 2014. By setting that target we do not say that a clean audit implies real service delivery but it is a crucial step in the promotion of a culture of accountability and responsibility.
Programme three: Financial Management: R284,072 million (up from R44,232 million)
The substantial increase in the allocation to this programme is due to the amount of R235 million set aside to service the interest on the anticipated overdraft. The purpose of this programme is to ensure effective and efficient management of the provincial and local government's physical and financial assets.
It is responsible for ensuring that norms and standards for financial management and supply chain management are in place. The Public Private Partnership unit, which is presently providing technical support on seven proposed projects, is also housed in this branch.
The financial management team plays a major role in building the capacity of institutions to ensure sound financial management practices in the province. We have in this province extensive practice notes and policies in place in both general financial management and supply chain management.
These are reviewed regularly in consultation with all stakeholders. However, good practice notes per se are not worth much in cases where these prescripts are blatantly ignored by certain officials resulting in qualified audit opinions as well as irregular and wasteful expenditure.
We must stimulate a culture of compliance in all our institutions because circumvention or bending of these rules opens up opportunities for fraud and corruption.
Treasury will ensure that the team managing this programme take proactive steps to ensure that timely interventions are in place to prevent negative audit opinions, irregular and wasteful expenditure and fraud and corruption. We must ensure that our systems, policies and procedures are robust and that our capacity building initiatives are enhanced.
The 2008/09 provincial audit outcomes highlight the encouraging trend of timely submission and auditing of the annual financial statements of all departments, the provincial legislature and most entities. The Auditor-General singled KwaZulu-Natal out as the only province where the majority of departments "are complying with the reporting requirements on service delivery in that information included in the annual reports is useful, reliable and complies with regulatory requirements".
While no department received a disclaimer or adverse audit opinion, we will not rest until all provincial departments, municipalities and public entities have obtained a financially unqualified (with no matters) opinion. Only one department (Sport and Recreation) achieved that goal in the 2008/09 financial year.
All 16 provincial government departments will be subjected to a formal audit of performance information (AOPI) by the Auditor-General on their approved annual performance plans for the 2009/10 financial year. The audit findings will be included in the management reports but no audit opinion will be expressed for the 2009/10 financial year.
From 2010/11 the AOPI will form part of the annual audit by the Auditor-General and an opinion will be expressed. Public entities will also be subjected to an AOPI for 2009/10 by the Auditor-General on the same basis as that for departments. This audit will concentrate on the performance against the objectives of the public entity.
These 2009/10 audits will assist the financial management team to identify the gaps and challenges in our systems prior to the full audit of performance information of 2010/11 when an audit opinion will be expressed. The performance of all metros and identified municipalities will be audited for the 2009/10 financial year.
While no opinion will be expressed a comment will be given in a management letter. Like provincial departments, an opinion will be expressed in the 2010/11 financial year. The rest will be audited on a readiness basis.
Control of the actual cash flow of the Province posed a particularly difficult challenge for the financial management team in the 2009/10 financial year. With the support of Cabinet and departments we have been able to manage the cash flow successfully.
Through careful management, coupled with the cost cutting initiatives, we have been able to keep the cost of servicing the provincial debt, i.e. the interest paid, significantly lower than the original estimate of R150 million to R98 million. We are at the present well within the debt facilities available to the province.
However, the controls cost cutting measures and reporting systems that we have put in place will continue and will be vigorously enforced. We have tasted success with our cost cutting measures and we will continue to combat wastefulness. We must get value for every cent spent by government.
As stated in my main budget speech, our procurement system remains a cause for concern. As Minister Gordhan put it: "A major site of both wastage and inefficiency is in our procurement system; through a combination of corrupt practices, inefficient procurement, poor planning and in some instances, collusion by the private sector, we are not getting the kind of value from our purchases that our people deserve".
In this programme, funds have been provided to the Supply Chain Management unit to develop, together with the Office of the Premier, a system that will eliminate fraud in our supply chain management and give us value for money.
The new system will provide all departments with the most current prices of all items. The price list will be updated on a daily basis and officials who procure goods and services above market clearing price will have to explain why. It will also allow service providers to bid against one another on the strength of competitive prices to supply particular goods or services.
Significant progress has been made in the submission of all outstanding consolidated financial statements in provincial departments and public entities dating from the 2005/06 financial year. The statements for 2008/09 are presently being audited and the province will be, for the first time since 2004/05, up to date with its consolidations. Indeed a great achievement for this unit.
The financial management team plays a role in the municipal support programme in ensuring compliance with the accounting framework. All municipalities have to be fully converted to the generally recognised accounting practice (GRAP) by the end of their 2009/10 financial year at the end of June.
GRAP training workshops have been conducted with all municipalities within the province to ensure that the GRAP conversion process and the preparation of GRAP compliant annual financial statements is completed as required per the National Gazette, no 30013, dated 29 June 2007.
The Financial Reporting unit in collaboration with the municipal finance component initiated a Municipal Support programme (MSP), which is in its second phase, to facilitate the GRAP conversion process within eight municipalities.
Three municipalities have been carried forward from phase one (Ezinqolweni municipality, Greater Kokstad municipality and the Big Five False Bay municipality) and a further five municipalities (Mpofana municipality, Ilembe municipality, Imbabazane municipality, Richmond municipality and Vulahmehlo municipality) were introduced in phase two.
External service providers have been engaged to facilitate the GRAP conversion project and the Municipal Finance and Financial Management units are playing an oversight and monitoring role.
Programme four: Internal Audit: R82,634 million (up from R66,840 million)
The provincial Internal Audit unit remains one of the most important vehicles we can utilise to promote good governance and combat fraud and corruption throughout the province. However, the ultimate value of the Internal Audit unit does not lie in the number of assignments conducted, but in the effective implementation of the recommendations made to the management in various client departments.
We will have to ensure that meaningful actions are taken by management in client departments on issues raised. This will assist greatly to ensure clean audit outcomes. The main challenge for this unit is the demand for skilled internal auditors which contributes to a high staff turnover.
This is aggravated by the lack of specialised internal audit skills in general. The Accelerated Promotion programme, aimed at training and promoting staff internally, has already contributed to a more stable and capable workforce.
The unit has made satisfactory progress in promoting a culture of effective risk management by establishing risk management forums and in promoting continuous awareness through focussed strategic and operational risk assessments.
We have joined forces with the South Africa Police Services (SAPS) and other organisations within the forensic fraternity to identify and investigate a variety of fraudulent and corrupt activities in provincial departments and entities serving as agents of specific departments and municipalities. 25 cases, involving R768 827 043.89, have been investigated in the 2009/10 financial year. All these cases relate to allegations of fraud, corruption, theft, mismanagement of public funds, maladministration, money laundering, graft and other irregularities.
These cases are still being investigated by the Internal Audit unit. The statistics exclude investigations conducted by the departments themselves.
We have also focused on pro-active and preventative strategies to combat information technology (IT) fraud and corruption.
To this end, an IT security assessment was conducted at all KwaZulu-Natal departments through Project Unembeza, which was launched in 2008, after a successful pilot in 2007. Unembeza is a pro-active strategy aimed at identifying control weaknesses in the provincial IT systems and networks.
Specific concerns or vulnerabilities were highlighted and brought to the attention of the departments through formal departmental executive summary reports. Unembeza was initiated when 19 fraudulent BAS transactions amounting to R179 million were reported between 2006 and 2008. An investigation resulted in the laying of 19 criminal charges with the SAPS and the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) (now The Hawks).
The status and progress of these cases follow:
Number of cases progress:
* One remanded to 1 March 2010
* One remanded to 15 March 2010
* One accused found guilty of fraud and was sentenced to five years imprisonment suspended for five years
* One case finalised: accused found guilty of fraud and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment suspended for five years. Accused to repay R735 000 in monthly instalments of R12 500
* Two remanded for plea to 26 February 2010
* Four withdrawn by Public Prosecutor
* One remanded to 19 January 2010
* One remanded to 1 March 2010
* Two closed as undetected
* Five are in progress, awaiting updated information
Since the implementation of the programme no new cases of external manipulation through our systems have been reported. However, we remain vigilant and follow up on any suspicious activity that is reported.
Given the findings of a 2008/09 report on governance issues, security and the general internal control environment of the provincial government systems, it is crucial that we significantly improve the control environment of our IT systems.
A minimum of R22 million is required to address the weaknesses identified in the information technology security system. Provincial Treasury will work with the provincial departments, State Information Technology Agency (SITA) and National Treasury to ensure that the provincial networks and systems are secured and that we develop and implement a comprehensive IT risk and control framework to regularly assess potential risk exposures.
We have introduced a variety of mechanisms to promote integrity and combat corruption. These include minimum anti-corruption capacity requirements, a code of conduct and a financial disclosure framework for senior managers and officials in Finance and Supply Chain Management components.
Currently the financial disclosure framework is reviewed to compel all officials in government to disclose their financial interest irrespective of their ranks or responsibility. We remind members that corruption can be reported anonymously by any member of society to the national Anti-Corruption Hotline (NACH) at 0800 701 701.
In terms of a national Cabinet resolution any member of the public can also alert Treasury to fraudulent activities and we encourage members to come forward.
Programme five: Growth and Development: R13,649 million (reduced from
R179,256 million)
The major reduction in the allocation to this programme, compared to the original budget for 2009/10, is a result of the transfer of funds for the OSD for medical personnel to the Department of Health and the second and the final payment of the province's contribution to the eThekwini Metro towards the construction of the Moses Mabhida stadium having been made.
Included in this programme is the final payment for the Ifihlile Training Academy project for the training and skills development of historically disadvantaged individuals (R5,759 million). Of the 3 230 young people targeted for training in security, construction, car washing, landscaping, spray painting and panel beating, 2 722 have completed their training, while 396 are currently in training or eligible for employment.
This programme also includes a portion for special projects, such as financial literacy and savings campaigns and budget awareness outreach programmes. As I mentioned before, some of the costs are shared by the Communications unit (programme one).
Financial literacy is at very low and almost insignificant levels in our country and I strongly believe that the Provincial Treasury has a major role to play in promoting financial literacy in KwaZulu-Natal. In the 2009/10 financial year we organised financial literacy events and training workshops for some school children, as well as vulnerable women (widows, the disabled and pensioners).
This was additional to the pilot financial literacy workshops for cooperatives and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) run by the Economic Analysis (programme one) and IGR unit (programme one). A series of supply chain management workshops (programme three) were also conducted for municipalities and the general public.
As I mentioned before, we have cut the cost of these events dramatically in line with our motto of DOING MORE WITH LESS.
I have embarked on a number of community participation pre-budget road shows. This is an ideal forum for our people to indicate what lies at the heart of their needs and requirements. What has come out quite clearly is that the people want us to address issues such as job creation, economic growth and poverty reduction.
Closely linked to these, are a number of severe social challenges such as the HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) pandemics that continue to plague the province and the country as a whole, as well as the provision of quality education and skills development.
Our responsibility as the government of KwaZulu-Natal is to ensure that every possible measure is taken to allocate public spending to the priorities of the people. Equally important is to ensure that we spend public money wisely, effectively and efficiently.
Impact of the budget for the 2010/11 financial year
The budget of the Provincial Treasury for the 2010/11 financial year as indicated in the estimates of provincial expenditure for 2010/11 has been increased from R523,923 million to R640,637 million as a result of a special allocation for the cost of servicing the interest on the overdraft and an increase in the funds for the Municipal Support programme.
With the cost saving measures now fully operational in Treasury, we are confident that Treasury will be able to perform all its functions within the allocated funds, through better management of its resources and ensuring value for money.
Conclusion
As custodian of the finances of this province, the Provincial Treasury bears an onerous responsibility both to the executive and this legislature, but more especially to the people of our province. We have placed great emphasis on excellence in all aspects of service delivery.
I am again committing myself and the Treasury team to set the standards and to lead by example by providing value for money, ensuring optimum service delivery, and creating a culture of good governance.
The critical difference between achieving our goals and failing to meet them is always good and timely planning. It is easy to become entangled in unnecessary activities and red tape, wasting valuable financial and human resources in the process.
Management expert Peter Drucker said: "there is nothing as useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all".
We cannot afford to lose one single cent or one second in our race against poverty. When we beat with one heart, a heart to improve the lives of all our people, then we can take our successes to new heights. I trust that honourable members will support the 2010/11 budget of R640,637 million for vote six, Provincial Treasury. It is now my honour to formally table this budget for your consideration.
Issued by: Provincial Treasury, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
13 April 2010
Source: Provincial Treasury, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
(http://www.kzntreasury.gov.za/)
