North West MEC for Treasury Motlalepula Rosho has tabled a R53.700 billion for the 2024/25 financial year, R55.086 billion for the 2025/26 financial year and R57.348 billion for the 2026/27 financial year at the provincial legislature in Mahikeng.
The bulk of the money was allocated to the Social Cluster departments.
“The Social Cluster, consisting of Education, Health, Human Settlements, Social Development, and Arts, Culture, Sports, and Recreation is allocated an amount of R42.842 billion in 2024/25.
In this cluster, the Department of Education receives R21.932 billion, Health is allocated R16.522 billion, Human Settlements’ budget is R1.826 billion, Social Development allocation amounts to R1.811 billion, whilst Arts, Culture, Sports & Recreation receives R750.401 million,” said Rosho.
According to Rosho, the health allocation will be used among others for
construction and maintenance of health facilities, the province will
be spending an amount of R705.561million through the Health Facility
Revitalisation Grant in the 2024/25 financial year, and R1.6 billion for the smooth provision of medicine and medical supplies.
“An amount of R1.304 billion is allocated for Education Infrastructure
Grant to fast-track the implementation of school infrastructure and the
elimination of backlogs with the focus of increasing classes, improving
sanitation at schools by building toilets that provide learners with
adequate and dignified sanitation.
For the delivery of Learning and Teaching Support Material, an amount of R702.874 million, is allocated in 2024/25,” explained Rosho.
The National School Nutrition Programme was allocated R664.104 million, Sanitary Dignity Programme allocated R19.341 million.
The MEC allocated R270.088 million for social welfare services, Non-Profit Organisations R240.088 million, R155 million to transform community library services for previously disadvantaged communities.
An amount of R1.556 billion is for development of houses and
servicing of the sites through the Human Settlements Development
Grant and Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant.
The Economic Cluster, which consists of Public Works and Roads, Agriculture and Rural Development and Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, was allocated a consolidated budget amounting to R6.224 billion in 2024/25.
“Allocations to the departments within this cluster are apportioned as
follows, R4.032 billion for Public Works and Roads, R1.209 billion for
Agriculture and Rural Development, and R982.163 million for Economic
Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism.
In pursuit of the priorities of this cluster, an amount of R64.594 million is earmarked for SMME & Co-operative support,” said Rosho.
To help eradicate potholes on the provincial roads, an additional allocation of R70 million was made to Public Works and
Roads for resealing and pothole patching, R511.805 million was also allocated to improve the state of some roads in the province to a condition that will attract investors and enhance delivery of services.
The Governance Cluster comprising of Community Safety and Transport Management, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Provincial Treasury and the Office of the Premier, was allocated an amount of R4.114 billion.
“Community Safety and Transport Management is allocated an amount of R2.363 billion, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs receives R697.360 million, Provincial Treasury’s allocation is R573.808 million whilst Office of the Premier is allocated R480.136 million,” said Rosho.
Within these allocations, Information Communication Technology has been allocated a budget of R103 million, scholar transport R450 million, and an amount of R100 million was made available for Water and Sanitation for short term interventions.
The MEC acknowledged that the state of local government is rapidly deteriorating, and the situation is further exacerbated by the current economic climate which puts pressure on local government to provide free basic services.
Rosho said the departments audit performance has improved from 2019 to date from eight (8) unqualified, four (4) qualified and one (1) disclaimer to ten (10) unqualified and three (3) qualified.
She said there’s also been improvement in the public entities.
The audit outcomes for public entities have improved from 2019 to date
from three (3) unqualified, five (5) qualified and seven (7) disclaimers to
seven (7) unqualified and eight (8) qualified.
There were no disclaimers in public entities in 2022/23.
There were two (2) clean audits received in public entities for the year ended 2022/23,” highlighted the MEC.
According to Standard & Poor’s Global forecast, the Gross Domestic Product is expected to grow at an average rate of 1.56% from 2022 to 2026 per annum.
2024 Departmental Allocations and the Provincial Legislature:
