Western Cape government lodges intergovernmental dispute over National Treasury budget cuts

28th November 2023 By: News24Wire

 Western Cape government lodges intergovernmental dispute over National Treasury budget cuts

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde

The Western Cape government has lodged an intergovernmental dispute with National Treasury over the mid-term adjustment budget. 

Premier Alan Winde said at a media briefing in Cape Town on Tuesday that all the province wanted was a fair allocation.

"Citizens are moving to our provinces. We want to resolve this by engaging and we are demanding an interaction and if we don't have an interaction we will see them in court," the premier added. 

He stressed that every government department was affected by the latest wave of budget cuts. 

"This is a formal intergovernmental dispute that we are lodging. We want our R1-billion shortfall that they have cut," the premier added.

"Give us our R1.1-billion or we will see you in court."

An intergovernmental dispute is usually declared between different organs of state or government departments.

The provincial government declared the dispute on Monday morning in correspondence sent to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, who delivered his medium-term budget policy statement earlier this month.

Winde and Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC Mireille Wenger expressed their dismay at the lack of a clear and bold plan to drastically boost economic growth and job creation.

At the time, Winde said he was deeply disappointed and added that the province's finances were already under pressure.

Wenger who delivered her medium-term budget policy statement during a legislature sitting on Tuesday morning, said cuts would have a negative effect on services. 

"The unconscionable consequence for provinces means that deep cuts are putting committed budgets on the line and our frontline services in education, health, and social development - the very forefront of our constitutional obligations to the people of our province - are at risk," she said.