The 2004/5 Budget promises to extend and improve spending on health services, including increasing expenditure on HIV/Aids, while it simultaneously looks to progressively extend the social security system, and to pay particular attention to the needs of children.

As regards HIV/Aids and health, a total of R2,1-billion more will be spent on the HIV/Aids treatment strategy, primarily focusing on the roll-out of antiretroviral treatment programmes by province through a conditional grant.

Regarding health in general, provincially, the equitable share grows by R19,7-billion over the next three years, which will aid the poor with regard to social services spending on health, social security, and education.

All-in-all, provinces will be expected to spend R41-billion on health in 2004/5, while some of a R23,6-billion allocated over the 2003 forward estimates will go toward the battle against HIV/Aids.

Health spending will also include the implementation of the new rural and scarce skills allowances.

These initiatives aim to improve health services in remote areas, and to ensure that highly-skilled professional groups in such areas are retained.

Additionally, 27 hospitals will undergo upgrading, or complete replacement required.

These latter endeavours form part of the Hospital Revitalisation programme, over the MTEF.

Grants administered by the national Department of Health are the largest provincial transfer programmes outside of the equitable share, while grants compensating provinces for costs associated with major tertiary hospital services and professional training have been reconfigured this year.

Also to be noted is a shift in responsibility for the primary school nutrition programme. Formerly managed by the Department of Health, this will now fall under the auspices of the Department of Education next year.

The initiative receives a total of R832-million in 2004/5.

Meanwhile, the Budget also looks to progressively extend the social security system, with particular attention being paid to the needs of children.

In the upcoming period, a child support grant system will be phased in, with a further R3,3-billion for the child support extension grant to go towards completing the phasing in of qualifying children under the age of 14.

The Budget also calls for continued growth in provision for those who qualify for old-age and disability grants.

“We propose to consolidate the grants delivery system in a new National Security Agency,” Manuel says.

Welfare and social security spending is projected to grow by 13,6% a year for the MTEF, and provinces will be expected to spend R48-billion on social grants and welfare in 2004/5.

As a percentage of GDP, provincial social development spending will rise by R6-billion in 2004/5, reaching a total of R47,8-billion this year.

Moreover, provincial budgets allow an increase in April of R40 in the pension and disability grants, to a maximum of R740, while the child support grant rises to R170 a month.

R1,2-billion has been set aside for emergency food relief over the next three years.

This forms part of government’s intention to broaden its approach to income security and poverty relief.