Creecy tables an earth shattering budget for the province
Gosiame Legoale
Nie Cele
A whooping R103.4 billion budget has been tabled for Gauteng. Speaking at the Legislature, finance MEC Barbara Creecy outlined key interventions to achieve inclusive economic growth and expand quality services to support poor families in difficult economic times.
At first she acknowledged that times are tough. “But we have a plan to fund the implementation of Premier David Makhura’s bold programme of radical transformation, modernisation and re-industrialisation”
Human Settlement were top of the list, netting the biggest chunk of R5.2 billion followed by Education who got a staggering R3 billion, which she said was meant for among other things, the completion of twelve new schools currently at construction stage and the rehabilitation of one hundred and twenty-three existing schools.
The MEC also noted that the provincial economy was expected to grow by 1.2% in 2015.
“This indeed was disappointing for us. We are however optimistic that with our interventions as shared by the Premier, we expect an upturn in our provincial economy by 2018 with a moderate growth projections of 2.8%.”
She also highlighted the growth in the provinces populations by an average of 2.8% or an increase of 1.8 million annually.
“Over this period, the number of households increased by 16% or half a million households”.
Furthermore she stressed that the province will spend R41.6 billion over the next three years to build roads, hospitals, clinics, schools and maintain existing public property as it moves to address the infrastructure needs of its citizens.
“We are conscious of the role that infrastructure delivery plays in the facilitation of the flow of goods; information and factors of production between buyers and sellers. We believe that this is our source of fiscal stimulus, with the twin objectives of creating jobs and improving economic performance and also to ensure better living conditions for our people,” Creecy said.
Other departments got the following:
Health received R1.9 billion, Roads & Transport received R2.3 billion, Agriculture & Rural Development received R51.4 million, Infrastructure & Development received R810 million, Social Development received R4.2 billion, Sports, Arts, Cultural & Recreaction received R821 million, Community Safety received R652.8 million which grows to R718 million over the medium term.
