South Africa's provinces have spent 22,9% or R75,7-billion of their budgets of R329,8-billion for the first quarter of the 2010/11 financial year, which ended on June 30.

In a statement on Thursday, the Treasury said that this represented a spending increase year-on-year of 4,8%, as spending was R3,5-billion higher than for the same period last year.

Education expenditure totalled R33,2-billion or 24,1% of the R137,4-billion combined education budgets.

"It remains the largest item on provincial budgets at 41,7%," the Treasury said.

The spending pattern reflected a 10% or R3-billion increase over the same period last year.

Health expenditure totalled R23,3-billion or 23,7% of the R98,4-billion combined health budgets and was the second largest item on provincial budgets at 29,8%.

"The spending pattern reflects a 11,5% or R2,4-billion increase compared with the same period last year."

Social development spending for the first quarter was 20,2%, or R2,1-billion of the R10,2-billion social development budgets.

Personnel expenditure was at 24,7% or R45,8-billion of the R185,7-billion personnel budgets.

According to the Treasury, provinces spent 16,4% or R4,2-billion of their R25,4-billion combined capital budgets.

This was a decline of 21,2% when compared to the same period in 2009/10.

Provincial education departments spent 13,7% or R982,9-million of their R7,2-billion education capital budgets.

This was 38,4% or R613,4-million less than spending over the same period of the previous financial year.

Provincial health departments improved on capital spending.

"They have spent 18,5% or R1,6-billion against their R8,8-billion health capital budgets, which is 7,3% or R111,3-million more than the same period for 2009/10."

The second highest share of provincial capital budgets, after health, was for public works, roads and transport departments at 29,2%. The sector spent 18% or R1,3-billion against its combined capital budgets of R7,4-billion.

Provincial own revenue collected so far stood at 21,9% or R2,1-billion of the total own revenue budget of R9,5-billion.

National government transferred R65,2-billion of the equitable share and R15,9-billion in conditional grants to provinces, during the first quarter of the 2010/11 financial year.