MEC Motlalepule Rosho's budget speech comes at a time when the country's economic stability is in limbo, due to the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Covid-19 has severely impacted the ability of some municipalities in the province to collect revenue.

Briefing the Standing Committee on Appropriations on the adjusted budget the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Obed Bapela, said some municipalities in the province have recorded a total revenue shortfall of over a billion rand.

This budget also comes a few weeks after another damning report by the Auditor General (AG) Kimi Makwetu.

Departments such as Education, Health and Social Development - which are at the forefront in the battle against the spread of Covid-19 - will be looking to MEC Rosho and her department to allocate more than enough to address the plight of residents in the province.

Rosho says this Special Adjustment Budget has been necessitated by the need to reprioritise the budget and redirect funds to the Covid-19 response plan.

The Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act empowers finance authorities to table adjustment budgets when necessary.

The historic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn has made it necessary to table such adjustments, Rosho added.

In June the Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni, announced that the Supplementary Budget proposed R21.5 billion for Covid-19-related healthcare spending.

He added the budget will also propose a further allocation of R12.6 billion to services at the frontline of the response to the pandemic.

OFM News