Giving the Provincial Legislature details on what the Provincial Treasury is intending to do with the R536,4 million budget for 2011/12 financial year in Pietermaritzburg today, the MEC for Finance Ms Ina Cronjé reminded the house that the services and support provided by Provincial Treasury are largely to provincial government departments, municipalities and related public entities and not directly to the public.
MEC Cronjé said that as a department they have set themselves the target of ensuring clean audits in all government departments, municipalities and public entities, which can only be done through focusing on improved support and reporting by all relevant institutions including municipalities and public entities. To ensure value for money, the Provincial Treasury will focus with renewed vigour on the structure and efficiency of government institutions, and the necessary task of fighting corruption and fraud.
"It is required of me to ensure that greater attention is paid to budget implementation, which includes enhanced transparency in budget planning and execution. It is also imperative that we ensure timely interventions where necessary and to achieve this, the utmost discipline by all role-players is required: The Executive, the members of this House, Councillors and the civil servants at all levels," said MEC Cronjé.
The MEC committed herself and her department that they will ensure equitable resource allocations for the province of KwaZulu-Natal, analyse and monitor government (provincial and local, including public entities) revenue and expenditure; 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.
"We made commitments in the last financial year and we are pleased to report that through the leadership of the Premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize and the cooperative approach of the members of the Executive and their Departments, we have turned a substantial bank overdraft into a healthy positive bank balance. We have been able to build a budget surplus which will in future assist us in the allocation of more funds to the service delivery priorities of the Province. We have indeed honoured our commitment to spending the money of our people wisely” said Cronjé.
Giving clarity on the issues that were raised by various groups regarding job creation or the lack of details in the Provincial Budget Speech, MEC Cronjé said that: The Treasury has no specific function which can create jobs per se.
"As stated in my main budget speech, the budget should set the pathway to decent work and economic growth. The Premier in his address also indicated that government departments should put in place and establish the right environment for the creation of decent and sustainable jobs.
"We should see an increase in employment by the provincial government early in the new year, especially in education and health. Furthermore, we are allocating almost R700 million in additional funds for infrastructure initiatives for projects already in the pipeline and departments with major infrastructure allocations will be able to provide details thereof. Each department will therefore put the flesh on their piece of the skeleton and give the necessary details regarding job creation,” said Cronjé.
For more information, contact:
Musa Cebisa
Cell: 071 6878 777
