Today, the residents of KwaZulu-Natal were presented with a budget speech by the MEC for Treasury, Hon. Francois Rodgers. Regrettably, this address mirrored the budget speech delivered by the former MEC for Treasury, Ms. Neliswa Nkonyeni, on 7 March 2024 word for word.
This blatant copy and paste reflects the stagnation and lack of innovative leadership within our government departments. Despite having a new political leader at the Department of Treasury, it is evident that nothing has changed.
While it is commendable that the Department of Education received the highest budget allocation, including a R19 million increase for the National School Nutrition Programme, critical issues remain unaddressed.
Suppliers have gone unpaid for months, leaving them disgruntled and many learners without nutritious meals. It is distressing that the department has chosen to decrease food supply to schools in need despite high enrolment numbers, leaving many students hungry.
Moreover, the MEC did not provide assurance that there will be no further interruptions in the nutrition programme.
The speech also failed to tackle the dire state of the scholar transport system. Many learners in rural areas still face the burden of traveling long distances on foot to reach their schools. This highlights the MEC’s disconnect from the real challenges faced by our learners.
The Health Department, received the second-highest budget allocation, remains overshadowed by uncertainty but, there is a significant shortage of healthcare workers in the province, including doctors and nurses, which the MEC did not address whether these critical vacancies will be filled.
Similarly with the Department of Education which faces a shortage of over 7,000 teachers.
In eThekwini Municipality, the situation is dire, however the provincial government owes this municipality a staggering R556 million to date.
This debt adds to the existing troubles within the municipality, and it is likely that other municipalities across the province face similar issues. The failure of the MEC to address this is deeply concerning, which highlights that our government is a contributing factor to challenges faced by many municipalities.
The neglect of payment issues for suppliers, security guards, and cleaners remains unaddressed. Contracted workers, especially those employed though the Department of Public Works, continue to suffer from exploitation. Hon. Rodgers did not provide any assurance that this exploitation will end with him.
Our province has faced numerous disasters, from devastating floods to recent wildfires in parts of north KZN and uMngeni local Municipality. Yet, there was no indication in the speech of additional funds allocated for disaster management, leaving our communities vulnerable to future catastrophes.
It is a disservice to KZN residents that the government has chosen to allocate only R243,343 to the Department of Community Safety & Liaison, despite our province facing high rates of crime, including murder, rape, and car theft.
Three police stations in KZN consistently rank among the top five most dangerous areas. While policing is primarily a national government responsibility, the province also has a role in maintaining low crime levels. This allocation demonstrates how out of touch our provincial leaders are.
Finally, much like his predecessor, Hon. Rodgers failed to outline any steps to revitalise our economic opportunities through:
1. Support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs):
Provide assistance and incentives for SMEs to thrive, including access to finance, mentorship programs.
2. Tourism Promotion:
Invest in marketing to attract more tourists to KZN, highlighting its natural beauty, cultural heritage, and diverse attractions.
3. Skills Development:
Enhance education and training programs to better equip the workforce with the skills needed.
4. Investment promotion:
Encourage both local and foreign investment in various sectors of the economy, such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and technology.
ActionSA stands firm in our commitment to advocating for the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Our government must do better to ensure the well-being and prosperity of all its residents.
KZN Budget Plagiarism: Rodgers’ Blatant Copy & Paste of Predecessor’s Speech
Today, the residents of KwaZulu-Natal were presented with a budget speech by the MEC for Treasury, Hon. Francois Rodgers. Regrettably, this address mirrored the budget speech delivered by the former MEC for Treasury, Ms. Neliswa Nkonyeni, on 7 March 2024 word for word.
This blatant copy and paste reflects the stagnation and lack of innovative leadership within our government departments. Despite having a new political leader at the Department of Treasury, it is evident that nothing has changed.
While it is commendable that the Department of Education received the highest budget allocation, including a R19 million increase for the National School Nutrition Programme, critical issues remain unaddressed.
Suppliers have gone unpaid for months, leaving them disgruntled and many learners without nutritious meals. It is distressing that the department has chosen to decrease food supply to schools in need despite high enrolment numbers, leaving many students hungry.
Moreover, the MEC did not provide assurance that there will be no further interruptions in the nutrition programme.
The speech also failed to tackle the dire state of the scholar transport system. Many learners in rural areas still face the burden of traveling long distances on foot to reach their schools. This highlights the MEC’s disconnect from the real challenges faced by our learners.
The Health Department, received the second-highest budget allocation, remains overshadowed by uncertainty but, there is a significant shortage of healthcare workers in the province, including doctors and nurses, which the MEC did not address whether these critical vacancies will be filled.
Similarly with the Department of Education which faces a shortage of over 7,000 teachers.
In eThekwini Municipality, the situation is dire, however the provincial government owes this municipality a staggering R556 million to date.
This debt adds to the existing troubles within the municipality, and it is likely that other municipalities across the province face similar issues. The failure of the MEC to address this is deeply concerning, which highlights that our government is a contributing factor to challenges faced by many municipalities.
The neglect of payment issues for suppliers, security guards, and cleaners remains unaddressed. Contracted workers, especially those employed though the Department of Public Works, continue to suffer from exploitation. Hon. Rodgers did not provide any assurance that this exploitation will end with him.
Our province has faced numerous disasters, from devastating floods to recent wildfires in parts of north KZN and uMngeni local Municipality. Yet, there was no indication in the speech of additional funds allocated for disaster management, leaving our communities vulnerable to future catastrophes.
It is a disservice to KZN residents that the government has chosen to allocate only R243,343 to the Department of Community Safety & Liaison, despite our province facing high rates of crime, including murder, rape, and car theft.
Three police stations in KZN consistently rank among the top five most dangerous areas. While policing is primarily a national government responsibility, the province also has a role in maintaining low crime levels. This allocation demonstrates how out of touch our provincial leaders are.
Finally, much like his predecessor, Hon. Rodgers failed to outline any steps to revitalise our economic opportunities through:
1. Support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs):
Provide assistance and incentives for SMEs to thrive, including access to finance, mentorship programs.
2. Tourism Promotion:
Invest in marketing to attract more tourists to KZN, highlighting its natural beauty, cultural heritage, and diverse attractions.
3. Skills Development:
Enhance education and training programs to better equip the workforce with the skills needed.
4. Investment promotion:
Encourage both local and foreign investment in various sectors of the economy, such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and technology.
ActionSA stands firm in our commitment to advocating for the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Our government must do better to ensure the well-being and prosperity of all its residents.