The MEC for Provincial Planning and Finance, Honourable Pumullo Masualle, delivered the 2013/14 provincial budget speech today, 7 March 2013 at the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature. The Honourable MEC touched on some of the countries’ challenges for the year 2012 and made a reference to those, which affected the Eastern Cape province. While the Eastern Cape province continues in making inroads to better the livelihoods of its people, the province suffered from devastating floods, which destroyed its infrastructure and left many families destitute, he said.

Some of the highlights in the 2012 budget implementation included drastic improvement on infrastructure spending allocations in both Education and Health. The Department of Health was reported to have recorded a significant improvement in infrastructure spending of R1,061 billion (76%) of its infrastructure budget at the end of February 2012 as compared to the same period in 2011.

Uninterrupted school nutrition, which fed approximately 1.7 million children, scholar transport which benefitted approximately 54 000 children and the delivery of Learner Teacher Support Materials to schools was made on time.

During his presentation, the Honourable MEC acknowledged that the establishment of the Centralised Project Management Unit (CPMU) improved infrastructure delivery in the province. This unit made significant strides in escalating performance in the 2012/13 financial year, he said.

The total provincial infrastructure spend as the end of February was recorded at R5.4 billion (73,5 %)  of the total adjusted infrastructure budget. The Honourable MEC assured the people of the Eastern Cape province that the budget tabled shall intensify Basic Service Delivery and Infrastructure delivery to generate economic activity and create jobs.

The Total provincial budget amounts to R59.2 billion and it is allocated as follows:

• Office of the Premier is allocated R458.1 million totalling R1.4 billion over the MTEF
• Provincial Legislature is allocated R409.5 million totalling R1.2 billion over the MTEF
• Provincial Planning and Treasury is allocated R374.8 million totalling R1.1 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture is allocated R715.1 million totalling R2.3 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Safety and Liaison is allocated R69.9 million totalling R218.2 million over the MTEF
• The Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs is allocated R840.8 million totalling R2.5 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Health is allocated R16.5 billion totalling to R51.8 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Education is allocated R26.9 billion totalling R85.8 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Social Development is allocated R2 billion totalling R6.3 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Roads and Public Works is allocated R3.6 billion totalling to R11.3 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform is allocated R1.7 billion totalling R5.3 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism is allocated R1 billion totalling R3 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Transport is allocated R1.5 billion totalling R4.7 billion over the MTEF
• The Department of Human Settlements is allocated R2.8 billion totalling R6.1 billion over the MTEF

The Speaker of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, Honourable Fikile Xasa, referred the Appropriation Bill (Budget) to the Portfolio Committee on Finance and Provincial Expenditure for consideration.