J Mashamba: Limpopo Budget 2006/07

21 February 2006

Honourable Speaker,
Honourable Premier,
Colleagues in the Executive Council,
Honourable members of the House,
Members of the National Assembly,
Executive mayors and mayors,
Traditional leaders,
Captains of Industry,
Labour leaders,
Religious leaders and the media fraternity stalwarts,
Veterans of our glorious struggle,
Distinguished guests,
Comrades and compatriots,
Fellow South Africans;

Thank you for joining us as we table or provincial Budget Vote for the
2006/2007 financial year. You are heartily welcomed to this occasion, an
occasion that gives insight to the choices that we have made in allocating
public funds.

Minister Manuel asserts that, "...to budget is to choose. Democracy and
freedom have laid on this House the solemn duty of safeguarding the
transparency and integrity of these choices."

Honourable Speaker, the budgetary choices we have made give life and meaning
to the strategic direction we wish to take as government and to our programme
of social cohesion. These choices place particular emphasis on prioritising the
needs of the poor and improved service delivery.

For more than three hundred years we were silenced: forced not to see, not
to hear and not to think about what we were experiencing; we were allowed nay,
forced only to see, to hear and to think what our masters wanted us to; to talk
therefore as they would have us talk.

Our languages were stunted, stifled, constricted, as were our physical,
spiritual, moral and intellectual growth and development. A radical negation of
those conditions of our existence was therefore called for and in due course,
honest men and women of our country, black and white, rose to the challenge.
Many paid the highest price for this losing their dear lives in the
battlefields and the gallows of the apartheid fascist regime.

Honourable Speaker, comrade Premier, comrades and compatriots, it is common
cause that in 1994 our people were delivered from the shackles of political
bondage of political silence and spoke loud and clear about their burning
desire to be free not only politically but also socially, economically and
ideologically, they accordingly voted themselves and their liberators into
institutions of political power of state power.

The terrible ages of colonial conquest and dispossession of defeat and
subjugation of intolerable suffering and agony of heroic battles and struggle
thus came to pass like dew before the morning summer sun. There was great joy
and jubilation across the land for our country was free at last democracy,
equality and justice were at hand!

But Nelson Mandela, our liberator, our first ever President and icon of the
new South Africa warned even then that:

“The truth is that we are not yet free: we have merely achieved the freedom
to be free, the right not to be oppressed. We have not taken the final step of
our journey but the first step on a longer and even more difficult road. For to
be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but live in a way that respects
and enhances the freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is
just beginning.” [Mandela, N., Long Walk to Freedom, page 617]

Honourable Speaker, honourable Premier, honourable members, ladies and
gentlemen, the first step that comrade Mandela alluded to was the first into
the age of reconciliation, the age of institutional restructuring, the age of
re-establishing linkages and relations continentally and internationally.

In our province it was the age of reconciliation between black and white
people and between the African ethnic groups previously ghettoed in the
apartheid Bantustans; it was the age of economic stabilisation in the areas of
paying off the inherited debts of the former Bantustans and the former 'white'
areas, of bringing about integration in the economic activities of these areas;
it was the age of institutional restructuring aimed at creating an integrated
institutional framework and structures at the provincial and local levels and
of establishing effective relations with local structures, other provinces and
the national structures of governance and administration.

We do accept that we have not achieved everything that we had set out to
achieve in the past 11 years. For one thing much of the legacy of our apartheid
past is still very much with us it remains embedded in many of our
institutions, in our mental habits, ideas, attitudes, values, morality and in
our race, gender and social relations and activities.

This legacy manifests itself in our family lives, in our schools, in
communities, in our work situations in both the private and public sectors.
Hence, our Batho Pele campaigns, our anti-corruption campaigns, our moral
regeneration campaigns, our culture of learning, teaching and service campaigns
still leave much to be desired.

Honourable Speaker, all these matters notwithstanding, the assertion by the
President of our country, comrade Thabo Mbeki, that we are now entering the Age
of Hope is valid and correct not only for the country generally but for our
province in particular.

The uninformed and the doubting Thomases may smear and laugh at this
apparent hearsay. But who can deny the fact that we today have far much better
racial relations and ethnic harmony than ever before witness the" toe-nadaring"
between black and white alluded to by the Premier in his state of the province
address.

Who can deny that roads, electricity, water, telephone and education
infrastructure has picked up a hundred fold since the days of apartheid? Who
can deny that mining activities and tourism have picked up as never before in
our province? Who can deny a concern and efforts of the current government in
relation to the question of improvement of the conditions of the quality of
life of the poorest of the poor, of the aged, the youth and children and of the
working people and the alleviation of hardship on the weak and the
helpless?

Honourable Speaker, the threatening waves of the red sea are far behind, the
terrible suffering and agony of the land of our bondage sound like a story now
to the borne free of our time but the hasty roar of the lions and the howling
noises of the hyena in the desert lands of the Sinai are terrifying. The
'Amagwala' want to go back to the land of the Pharaohs while some with the
opportunist streak in their makeup are busy erecting statues of Baal and other
deities and cursing those who led them out of slavery!

New gods and new messiahs are mushrooming by the dozen! But 10 and behold!
Over there is the river Jordan and yonder the promised land of milk and honey.
Will the brave, men and women of integrity and of conviction in the people's
course to genuine and lasting freedom please stand up! The age of hope is
indeed nigh!

The economic fundamentals of our country and province are in place; the
international community is prepared to invest in our economy and in the economy
of our province in particular. The labour laws of our country guarantee healthy
industrial relations and our developmental state is a caring state making the
necessary intervention to make both our economy work and to take care of those
who cannot take care of themselves, the sick, the aged, the young, the
disabled, etc.

In terms of Statistics South Africa (Stats S.A) 64.81 percent of the
provincial households were electrified. 77.62 percent had access to private
treated water reticulation system and relatively easy access to public water
supply against 22.38 percent who had no easy access to water. This current year
more than 897 000 household receive free basic water and 524 000 indigent
households have access to water at Reconstruction and development Plan (RDP)
standards.

Furthermore, more than 127 000 indigent households receive free basic
electricity. Mr/Madam Speaker, during this current year alone and as at the end
of December 2005 additional 2 878 houses have been completed while 15 200
houses were under construction. In the last four years to 2004/05 this province
spent R32 billion on education, R13 billion each on both health services and
social development. This province continues to produce good results in higher
grate mathematics and science at matric level. Morbidity and mortality rates in
terms of general diseases are declining. The prevalence of HIV continues to
grow at a marginal rate though below national average. More than 1.5 million
people benefit from the social security grant while more that 1.1 million needy
children benefit from the school nutrition system.

In strengthening the institutional efficiency of government significant
resources have been allocated in this second year of the implementation of the
Provincial Growth and Development Strategy PGDS) to refine implementation plans
so as to increase the pace of delivery according to the strategy. Particular
attention has been paid to the improvement of capacity in both the provincial
administration and local government and further strengthening our system of our
intergovernmental relations which is critical to the success of the PGDS
implementation.

The growth rate of the provincial economy averaged 3.5 percent over the last
eight years to 2004 against the national average growth rate of 3.1 over the
same period. The growth rate per annum dropped from 4.24 percent in 2002 to
2.67 percent in 2003 before recovering to 2.71 percent in 2004. This recovery
is likely to gain momentum over the medium term expenditure framework as the
implementation of the PGDS intensifies.

Major declines has been recorded in the primary industries which declined
from 7.71 percent in 2002 to 2.99 percent in 2003 and further declined to 1.02
percent in 2004. The decline in the primary industries which constitutes 25
percent of the provincial economy impacted significantly on the economic growth
prospects. These I declines have been due to the protracted draught and also
external shocks I in terms of the decline in the rand price of export due to
the strengthening of the South African currency.

Protracted draught resulted in the contraction of the agricultural sector
which recorded negative growth rates in both 2003 and 2004. In the latter year
the growth rate in the agricultural sector declined by 7.12 percent, while
mining grew at just below two percent.

The secondary industry which constitutes eight percent of the provincial
economy recorded 5.04 percent growth rate in 2004 which has been an improvement
from the 1.04 percent growth rate recorded in 2003. The manufacturing,
electricity, gas and water and the construction sectors recorded growth rates
of 4.78 percent, 4.21 percent and 6.99 percent respectively. In line with the
PGDS stronger growth rates are expected to continue in the secondary industries
over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period and beyond.

The provision of requisite infrastructure for the strengthening of
industrial cluster formation will inspire growth in the secondary industry. The
construction of De Hoop Dam to supply water in Sekhukhune District, the pipe
lines construction to supply the Waterberg District with water the investment
in the energy sector in Waterberg District and the construction of road
networks to enhance the formation of the seven industrial clusters of the PGDS
will certainly improve growth rates in the construction sector. 758 kilometres
(km) and 1 800 km of roads will be tarred and repaired during the MTEF period
respectively.

The tertiary industries which constituted 57 percent of the provincial
economy recorded an average of 3.05 percent growth rate in 2004, a slight
improvement from the 2.8 percent recorded the previous year. The tourism
related sector, the wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants grew at
3.25 percent, an improvement from 1.5 percent growth rate recorded in 2003. The
transport and communication sector declined from 3.94 percent in 2003 to 2.25
percent in 2004. Finance, real estate and business services sector improved
from 4.98 percent in 2003 to 4.87 percent in 2005. Personal services and the
general government sectors grew at 1 .2 percent and 1.4 percent
respectively.

Growth in the tertiary industries will be enhanced by investment in the
tourism related clusters. The investment in the Capricorn District in the
development of the International Convention Centre, Peter Mokaba Stadium and
the logistics hub in Polokwane, the development of City of Moria as a tourism
icon constitute few of the key projects that will contribute to growth in the
tertiary industries.

Honourable Speaker, you may recall that we spoke strongly against under
spending during the previous budget speech. With your permission we would like
to take this opportunity and account for the previous financial year's budget
and further indicate what has been done to reduce under spending.

Close monitoring of budget utilisation during this year enabled the province
to timeously re-direct R300 million for spending on the provision of water and
electricity as well as building of roads. Like we said the age of hope is
indeed nigh!

Honourable Speaker, the road to hell is broad and lined with beautiful
flowers and the road to heaven is narrow and full of thorns, the great books
tell us. We therefore are choosing the narrow and thorny road and do hereby
present to your good selves and the people of Limpopo a budget of hope to help
us remove the thorns and pave the way to a better life for all people in our
province and country.

According to Nelson Mandela:

We have walked the long road to freedom. We have tried not to falter. We
have made mistakes on the way. But we have discovered the secret that after the
climbing a great hill one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
We have taken a moment here to rest, to still a view of the glorious vista that
surrounds us, to look back on the distance we have travelled. But we can rest
only a moment, for with freedom there comes responsibilities and we dare not
linger for our long walk to freedom is not yet ended. The age of hope is upon
us and we therefore table the provincial budget to fund the age of hope as
follows:

The 2006/07 budget framework

Honourable Speaker, our budget framework is as follows:

The total estimated receipts for the province consist of:

Equitable share R20.616 billion
Conditional Grants R 1.996 billion
Own Revenue R0.396 billion
Total R23.008 billion

Honourable Speaker, the provincial budget will decline by 17.7 percent in
the 2006/07 financial year. The decline is due to the shifting of the social
security grants from the provincial Department of Health and Department of
Social Development to the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) which
takes full responsibility with effect from April 2006. Based on the MTEF
baselines, the provincial revenue will pick up again by 11.8 percent in 2007/08
and by 11.4 percent in 2008/09.

The equitable share comprises the bulk of the provincial allocation at 89.6
percent, the conditional grants 8.7 percent whilst own revenue accounts for 1
.71 percent. The provincial own revenue is mainly from motor vehicle licenses
(R145 million) interest dividends and rent on land (R84 million) and sale of
goods and services (R1 06 million).

Expenses by economic classification

Honourable Speaker and honourable members of the House, as already indicated
the Bill before this House seeks to appropriate R22.899 billion for the 2006/07
financial year. The MTEF estimates for allocation reflect R23.008 billion for
this year as well as R25.720 billion and R28.648 billion for the two subsequent
years respectively. The total provincial receipts amount to R23.008 billion.
This includes an amount of R109 million for the Government Employee Medical
Scheme (GEMS) which will be appropriated during the adjustment estimates.
Therefore, the amount to be appropriated less GEMS is R22.899 billion.

The current expenditure accounts form the largest year on year allocation.
It accounts for R18.585 billion which is 81 percent of the total expenses
proposed for the 2006/07 financial year. In this proposed budget allocation,
compensation of employees receives an allocation of R14.270 billion that is
62.31 percent of the total provincial budget.

Transfers and subsidies receive an allocation of R2.577 billion which is
equal to 11.25 percent of the budget.

Current budget proposes capital expenditure of R1.736 billion which is 7.6
percent of the total proposed budget. This amount represents an increase of
12.8 percent on the baseline of the 2005/06 financial year. Included in the
R2.577 billion for transfers and subsidies is an amount of R1.266 billion
consisting of infrastructure budget of R745 million and R521 million for road
and housing construction respectively. This then brings the total capital
expenditure budget to R3 billion.

An amount of R810.626 million is allocated to the social cluster to build 22
circuit offices for the Department of Education, 24 offshoot schools, repair
138 schools which were damaged by storms, three comprehensive schools, to
provide 60 mobile classrooms, to install water, electricity and ablution
facilities in schools and recapitalise seven further education and training
colleges [FET].

The amount will also be used to upgrade and build new clinics, to build
welfare facilities and staff houses and to increase the number of 24 hour
operating clinics for primary health care.

Honourable Speaker, the economic cluster gets an allocation of R1.048
billion mainly for the revitalisation of 38 small holding irrigation schemes
and to cover 26 municipalities across all districts with regards to integrated
agricultural and rural development plans. There is also the implementation of
the comprehensive agricultural support programme where 61 land reform projects
have been earmarked for 2800 beneficiaries. This allocation will also assist in
farmer support programmes by providing dipping tanks, crush-pens, mobile
scales, fencing, dairy and fishing infrastructure as well as other training
facilities in the Department of Agriculture.

Honourable members of the House, the budget will deal with the tarring and
maintenance of roads in the province and continue with the upgrading of the
gateway International Airport.

The allocation will also be used for the upgrading of the water reticulation
at the Thohoyandou government complex; the repairs and upgrading of electricity
infrastructure at the Giyani, Thohoyandou and Lebowakgomo government complexes;
as well as the installation of lifts at the Giyani and Thohoyandou government
complexes.

Lastly, the allocation will be used to construct residences for the MECs and
district offices for the Bohlabela and Waterberg districts as well as the
refurbishment of office buildings in all districts (leaking roofs etc.) and the
implementation of the expanded public works programme.

Honourable Speaker, the governance and administration cluster gets a capital
budget allocation of R625 million of which R521 million is classified under
transfer payments to cater for the integrated housing and human settlement and
the purchase of office buildings.

Expenses allocation per sector

Social Sector

The social sector accounts for R16.975 billion that is 74 percent of the
equitable share. Of the R16.975 billion equitable share, education accounts for
R11.066 billion, health R5.448 billion, social development R432 million and
safety and security R29 million.

Education

Education gets an allocation of 48 percent of the total budget which is
R11.066 billion. Included in the R11.066 billion are conditional grants
amounting to R558 million (R292 million for provincial infrastructure, R202
million for national school nutrition programme, R43 million for further
education and training and R22 million for early childhood development).

The budget for education will also be utilised to develop programme
guidelines and training manuals for 29 national curriculum statements for the
implementation of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) in grade 11 in January 2007
and grade 12 in January 2008. It also provides learner teacher support
materials to all learners and educators in grades eight, nine, 10 and 11 as
well as the development of professional educators and school managers in
compliance with the national curriculum statements.

Special attention will also be paid to grades R to nine and the newly
developed curriculum statement for the FET bend [grades 10 to 12] and outcomes
based education.

There is also a dire need to improve learner performance and teaching in
mathematics, science, technology, languages, economics and management sciences
and the training of curriculum advisors and FET educators on the implementation
of the national curriculum statement.

Adult education and training and the expanded public works programme will
also receive special attention. All the aforementioned demand a proper
information management system (EM IS) in order to plan more effectively and to
complement sustainability.

Health

Honourable Speaker, health gets an allocation of R5.448 billion or 23.7
percent of the total provincial budget which includes the conditional grant of
R509 million. The breakdown in terms of service provisioning is R176 million
for HIV/ AIDS, R102 million for provincial infrastructure and R72 million for
the training and development of health professionals. Another R72 million will
be utilised for the redistribution of specialised health services, R48 million
for hospital rehabilitation and R38 million for forensic pathology services as
well as R31 million for the building of clinics.

Honourable Speaker, the increase in the allocation to health is mainly to
enhance human resource management and the recruitment of health professionals,
the expansion of emergency medical service and the implementation of a new
ambulance services model. Furthermore, to expand primary health care, improve
services in rural areas and modernise tertiary services including staff
accommodation.

There is also a dire need to cater for an increase in the stock levels of
certain critical drugs in order to protect our people against curable diseases
such as malaria and cholera as well as to promote awareness of the risk of
contracting these deceases.

We also need to reduce HIV/AIDS prevalence by improving access to anti
retroviral treatment and increase the T8 cure rate. As mentioned above we need
to increase 24 hour service in 250 clinics across the province. We also have to
intensify our expanded public works programme in this sector.

Social Development

Social development gets an allocation of R432 million or 1.8 percent of the
budget. The budget is to cater for the delivery of social welfare services,
which is critical for the sustainability of communities while gearing up for
the implementation of the children's bill, older persons' bill and child
justice bill. The allocation also caters for the expansion of existing
programmes such as community health workers, home/community based care and
early childhood development and it provides for the training of practitioners,
food and basic health care, through the expanded public works programme. The
social security conditional grant of R8.003 billion will be shifted to the
South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) with effect from 1 April 2006.

Safety, Security and Liaison

Safety, security and liaison is allocated R29 million or 0.1 percent of the
budget. The budget is mainly to coordinate the implementation of the provincial
crime prevention strategy, the youth at risk projects (600 youths in the
Manyeleti academy will be enlisted to the programme), community and safety
forums, monitor and evaluate 21 police stations in the coming year, conduct six
road shows on violence against women and children and conduct research and
studies towards reducing incidences of domestic violence and sexual offences.
The Department must work tirelessly to drastically curtail the incidences of
domestic violence and sexual offences in the province. Community police forums
must be strengthened, and re-established where they may have collapsed.

Economic Sector

The economic sector accounts for 18.3 percent or R4.196 billion. Of this
amount economic development, environment and tourism accounts for R675 million,
roads and transport accounts for R1.780 billion, agriculture accounts for
R1.029 billion, public works accounts for R589 million and sports, arts and
culture accounts for R123 million.

Economic Development

Economic development is allocated 2.9 percent or R675 million of the total
budget. The budget will be used to establish cooperatives, increase the market
share for the products of the cooperatives and cooperatives education. In this
financial year, 24 cooperatives will be established with the potential to
create about 1 000 new jobs.

The allocation will also assist with the development and support of Small,
Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) including the driving of the provincial
SMME strategy, provision for housing for professionals in rural areas, the
development of industrial clusters in terms of the PGDS, trade regulation and
implementation of micro economic reform strategy. These activities will bring
about increased economic growth rate and sustainable job creation. Furthermore,
the allocation will cater for sustainable development through sound
environmental management as well as improving required infrastructure within
nature reserves.

Honourable Speaker, honourable Premier and honourable members of the House,
because our province has opted to apply an integrated approach to deal with our
economic challenges, the promotion of industries, mining development, agro and
forestry processing, investment promotion and a development framework to market
the international convention centre should be intensified. The expenditure on
these endeavours will come to the tune of R56 million.

As we are also faced with the critical challenge of managing our environment
R7 million will be used for environmental impact management services, while R11
million will be used to promote the sustainable utilisation of the
bio-diversity resources of our province, provide environmental information in
support of effective environmental management and public participation in
environmental governance and waste and pollution management.

As a fast developing province we need to increase provincial gross
geographic product from four percent to eight percent. This demand of us to
work vigorously on the conservation and sustainable utilisation of natural
resources within the protected areas; oversee provincial nature reserves
focusing specifically on the management and development of 22 nature reserves
and the commercial development of 15 provincial parks.

Roads and Transport

Roads and transport is allocated 7.7 percent or R1.780 billion. This
includes an amount of R100 million from the infrastructure reserve and R282
million infrastructure conditional grant. The allocation will be utilized to
conduct feasibility studies on the provincial rail infrastructure,
refurbishment and upgrading of the regional airports, tarring and repairing of
roads development of transport hubs and the provisioning of scholar
transport.

Public Works

Public works allocation is 2.5 percent of the budget or R589 million. The
budget will cater mainly for the maintenance and refurbishment of government
offices and the intensification of implementation of the expanded public works
programme, which undoubtedly serves as one of the vehicles to reduce
poverty.

This Department will assist other departments in the implementation of
capital/infrastructure projects, e.g. the building of schools, hospitals and
clinics; the provisioning of water and electricity as well as the acquisition
and maintenance of government offices and other immovable properties. An amount
of R24 million has been allocated to make the above possible. This Department
must also deal with the planning and design of the provincial legislature which
must relocate to Polokwane at the cost of R6 million.

Lastly, the Department will be responsible for the construction of 11 MECs
houses at a cost of R31 million and the compilation of asset registers in all
districts which is estimated to cost about R1 0 million.

Agriculture

The Department is allocated 4.4 percent of the budget or R1.029 billion. The
budget will cater for small holding irrigation schemes as follows: Bohlabela
four projects, Capricorn nine projects, Mopani one project, Sekhukhune 10
projects, Vhembe seven projects and Waterberg three projects. All these
projects demand the allocation of R361 million.

Over and above these projects we have integrated agricultural and rural
development plans in 26 municipalities and six districts, support for all
farmers and the implementation of 61 land reform projects. These projects will
have a positive impact on 2800 beneficiaries under the comprehensive
agriculture support programme and the land reform poverty alleviation projects.
The allocation for these is R171 million.

Further, there is a need for rural development for communal farmers which
will amount to R74 million. Our two agricultural colleges, Tompi Seleka and
Madzhivandela also need upgrading, the building of new blocks and fencing. This
will cost R15 million.

Sport, Arts and Culture

Honourable Speaker, sport, arts and culture is allocated 0.5 percent or R123
million, of which R15 million is a conditional grant from sport and recreation
South Africa. The budget will cater for compensation of employees, the annual
Mapungubwe Arts Festival and the erection of statues, construction of the
archives building, establishment of integrated sport, arts and culture desk,
strengthening school sport programmes, implementing provincial language policy,
sport and cultural programmes targeting women and the youth, both the
physically challenged and able bodied. A programme will be put in place to
promote the visual performing arts and culture as well as support, nurture and
preserve our rich heritage.

Governance and Administration cluster

The governance and administration cluster accounts for eight percent of the
budget which is R1.837 billion. From this amount the office of the Premier
accounts for R510 million, the provincial legislature gets an allocation of R97
million, local government and housing receives R834 million and the provincial
treasury gets R396 million.

Office of the Premier

As stated above, the office of the Premier gets 2.2 percent of the budget or
R51 0 million which includes R104 million to acquire office building and the
planning for the provincial growth and development strategy (PGDS). The
allocation is aimed at funding the implementation of the Traditional Leadership
Governance and Framework Act, improving the coordination of the Executive
Council, the clusters and the provincial donor funding.

Legislature

The legislature is allocated 0.4 percent which amounts to R97 million. The
budget will be utilised for the running of the provincial legislature,
strengthening public participation and the over sight functions.

Local Government and Housing

The Department of Local Government and Housing is allocated 3.6 percent or
R834 million, of which R521 million is a conditional grant for housing and
human resettlement. The budget will be utilised to offer planning support to
municipalities, demarcation of sites, support for municipal elections, the
erection of disaster management centres and the purchase of equipments.

Provincial Treasury

Treasury is allocated 1.2 percent or R287 million. Over and above this
allocation R110 million had been set aside for Government Employee Medical
scheme (GEMS) in the province, bringing the total to R396 million. This amount
will be allocated to provincial departments once allocation guidelines are
communicated to the province by National Treasury. The budget for the treasury
will be utilised for the implementation of the PFMA and MFMA, offer support to
departments in terms of the in year monitoring, capacity building on financial
management in provincial departments and municipalities as well as the
coordination of provincial financial management matters.

Honourable Speaker, Premier and members of the House, comrades and friends,
the preparation of this budget relied on hard work and inputs from a number of
stakeholders and role players. It is particularly dependant on the goodwill and
tireless participation of Executive Council (Exco) and most especially the
leadership of the Premier.

We further wish to extend our sincerest gratitude to the people of Limpopo,
especially the valued stakeholders who are in attendance this morning for the
overwhelming support we continue to receive.

I would like to thank the management and staff of the provincial treasury
under the leadership of the Head of Department (HOD), Mr Ben Mphahlele for
their sterling contribution to the success of this budget which as we indicated
earlier is tabled much earlier than expected.

To the media, we say thank you for working with us to keep the citizenry
informed about the programmes and priorities of this government.

Our traditional leadership and other community leaders, you are the
torchbearers of our various communities. Continue to inculcate in our people
the spirit of Vukuzenzele and Letsema so that we continue to stand united in a
people's contract to create jobs and fight poverty.

I also wish to acknowledge the contribution of all the churches and church
leaders for our province. Please continue to spread the gospel which will
enable us all to build a winning nation, united in our diversity.

Comrade Speaker, honourable Premier, members of the House, it is my honour
to table before this honourable House.

The appropriation Bill 2006 estimates of receipts and payments the citizen
guide to the provincial budget. The provincial budget speech for 2006/07.

I sincerely thank you all!

Issued by: Provincial Treasury, Limpopo Provincial Government
21 February 2006
Source: National Treasury (http://www.treasury.gov.za)