Speech by Gauteng MEC for Finance, Barbara Creecy, on the occasion of the 2019/20 budget presentation, Gauteng Provincial Legislature
Madam Speaker and Deputy Speaker;
Premier David Makhura;
Fellow members of the Executive Council;
Chief Whip Member Sochayile Khanyile;
Leaders of Political Parties;
Members of the Provincial Legislature;
MMCs of Finance and Councilors;
Representatives from the Auditor General’s Office;
Senior Officials of Government and Municipalities;
Representatives of Business, Organised Labour, and Civil Society;
Distinguished guests;
Comrades and Friends
I am honoured to present to this House, the fifth and final budget of this administration as well as our Medium-Term projections for the next three years.
Let me begin with tabling the following documents for consideration:
- The Appropriation Bill for 2019
- The Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill
- Estimates of Provincial Revenue and Expenditure
- Estimates of Capital Expenditure
- The Socio-Economic Review Outlook and
- A copy of my Speech
Honourable members throughout this term, Gauteng residents have advised us each year on where we should deploy our resources.
True to the Gauteng Spirit, this year more than 150 000 residents participated in our on line campaign #GPBudget2019. We received more than 1800 written submissions. We had guidance on where we should spend money, how we should save precious resources and ways to grow our economy and our province.
Top of the agenda is the call for Provincial Government to invest in education and do more to equip young people for the workplace with the skills they need now and in the future.
Seven out of ten contributors mentioned the importance of supporting small enterprises and township entrepreneurs to create work opportunities. There was a loud call for government to invest more in renovating industrial parks and regulating illegal businesses.
Many stressed the importance of using government’s procurement muscle to provide market access for emerging enterprises in areas like infrastructure construction and maintenance.
A strong call was made for government to make it easier for SMMEs to understand what support is available and how it can be accessed.
Many asked that more be invested in employing doctors and nurses in hospitals and clinics so that the quality of service improves, and health practitioners treat patients with dignity and care.
Some of our residents asked that more be spent on improving road infrastructure, repairing potholes and building our public transport system.
Others complained about environmental conditions in the province and demanded more be done about littering and illegal dumping.
There was widespread condemnation of wasteful expenditure, and support for greater transparency and accountability in government contracts and tenders.
Public servants who are arrogant, self-serving, dishonest, corrupt and incompetent came in for the harshest criticism.
Honourable members, the 2019 Gauteng Budget I table for your consideration today, does its utmost to respond to this important counsel.
It sets out how this provincial government funds our commitment to transforming and growing our province and our support for small businesses and township enterprises.
It highlights our significant progress in improving education outcomes and supporting young people to get the skills they need now, and in the future.
It shows how, through investing in economic and social infrastructure, we are improving the conditions of life for all our residents.
It speaks to our work in building social cohesion in our diverse province, so we secure a future for all our people.
We explain that here in Gauteng, we have built our financial management capacity to root out waste and ensure hard-earned taxes are spent directly on providing quality infrastructure and services.
This budget also addresses the measures this administration takes to keep pace with service needs in a context of tight budgets at national level.
We can proudly say Honourable Members, that the 2019 Budget I table for your consideration today is indeed a Gauteng People’s Budget.
When Minister Tito Mboweni delivered his Budget Speech in the National Assembly on the 20 February, he indicated that our economy is recovering slowly but steadily from the technical recession.
Full speech: Gauteng Provincial 2019/20 Budget
