By OBAKENG MAJE
North West MEC for Treasury, Motlalepula Rosho said the provincial fiscal framework consists of equitable share, conditional grants and own revenue is amounting to 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.
Rosho said this culminates into a total allocation of R166.134 billion over the MTEF. She further said the social cluster, consisting of Education, Health, Human Settlements, Social Development, Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, is allocated an amount of R42.842 billion in 2024/25.
She added that, the North West 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.
“Within these allocations, the special provisions are made for construction and maintenance of health facilities, the province will be spending an amount of R705.561 million through Health Facility Revitalisation Grant in the 2024/25 financial year. An amount of R1.6 billion is allocated for medicine and medical supplies.
“This allocation will ensure that people of the North West, have access to medicine and medical supplies as and when they visit hospitals and clinics. An amount of R1.304 billion is allocated for Education Infrastructure Grant, to fast-track the implementation of school infrastructure,” said Rosho.
She said this will include 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. Rosho said the budget of R702.874 million has been allocated for the delivery of Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM), inclusive of stationery, textbooks and workbooks to 1445 schools and 32 public special schools around the province for 2024/24 financial year.
“An amount of R664.104 million is allocated for the National School Nutrition Programme to benefit 750 000 learners annually, where breakfast will be introduced to certain schools in the most disadvantaged communities.
“The Sanitary Dignity Programme (SDP) is allocated an amount of R19.341 million in 2024/25 to support over 252 000 learners’ in quintiles 1 to 3 schools as well as in special schools. This programme provides girls with uninterrupted education and instils confidence and self-esteem allowing them to reach their full potential,” she said.
Rosho said social welfare services to the communities, including services to people with disabilities, as well as for implementing social behaviour programmes, is allocated an amount of R270.088 million. She said the largest share of this allocation is funding earmarked for Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), amounting to R240.088 million.
“An amount of R155 million is allocated to transform community library services mainly 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 (HSDG) and Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant (ISUP).
“Due to the reduction to the HSDG and ISUP funding over the MTEF and increasing need for housing coupled with backlogs in this sector, the Executive Council has endorsed a process to solicit R2 billion through front-loading/pledging of future Human Settlements grants,” said Rosho.
She said the pledging will be done in line with the Borrowing Powers of Provincial Government Act 48 of 1996 read together with the Division of Revenue Act in an effort to aggressively expand housing delivery in the face of pending grants reduction.
Rosho said the Economic Cluster consisting of Public Works & Roads, Agriculture and Rural Development and Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, has been allocated a consolidated budget amounting to R6.224 billion in 2024/25.
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