The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The DA welcomes a sufficiently critical report on the financial performance of the Gauteng Provincial Government at the end of the first quarter of this financial year.

The report was presented this morning at a news briefing by the Chairperson of the Finance Portfolio Committee Saki Khumalo.

The DA, however, notes with concern the following matters of importance:

The spending on infrastructure is unacceptably low, which deprives the people of the province of services and costs Gauteng job opportunities. The actual year-to-date (YTD) expenditure of conditional grants was as follows:

Conditional Grant
Actual YTD Expenditure (%)
Community Library Services
1%
EPWP* Integrated Grant
0%
EPWP Social Service Incentive Grant
2%
Devolution of Property Rates Grant
0%
* EPWP: Expanded Public Works Programme

The actual year-to-date expenditure target for the first quarter is 25% of the annual budget. This was clearly not met.

Furthermore, there has been a general underspending on conditional grants for the Departments of Health, Education, Local Government and Housing, and Roads and Transport.

On the other hand, it is projected that the Health Department will overspend by R920 million.

The Finance Committee was also correctly critical of the manner in which some conditional grants were spent. Including money assigned for Food Gardens, in various cases, having been spent on beneficiaries that had neither applied for the grant nor possessed any enthusiasm for establishing a food garden. The committee recommended that the Gauteng provincial government should examine and review the manner in which grant money is spent.

The DA will continue to monitor and demand accountability for the spending of the Gauteng Provincial Government and its departments to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of services to the people of Gauteng.