Central SA
63% of Free State residents living in poverty - DA─── LUCKY NKUYANE 11:43 Tue, 12 Apr 2022
A massive 63% of Free State residents do not know where their next meal will come from because of increasing poverty levels over the past few years.
This is according to the leader of the official opposition, the DA's Roy Jankielsohn, who is debating premier Sisi Ntombela’s 2022/23 budget speech in the Free State Provincial Legislature. Jankielsohn told Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) that corruption is threatening the livelihood of residents in the province with the number of people living in poverty that has increased to 1,85 million people since 2010. Jankielson says this is in comparison to 1,62 million who lived in poverty in 2010.
“The Thabo Mofutsanyane District’s poverty levels are as high as 70%. Removing statues and changing names will not put food on the table of those people. Those are nice things to have if you are able to do it but our people on the ground want food on the table because those are must-haves,” he adds.
Meanwhile, the ANC has welcomed the Premier's budget speech. Former ANC Chairperson and MEC for Police, Roads and Transport, Sam Mashinini, says the announcement of the lifestyle audit by premier Ntombela is welcomed.
“So, the issue of professionalising, I want to also echo to say it’s a step towards the right direction. If you want to improve as a government you cannot render a qualitative service without being professional, so it’s critical that our services must be professionalised. As the ANC, I conclude we welcome this budget vote and support it,” Mashinini adds.
In her budget speech this morning, Ntombela told MPLs that provincial officials, including those in departments and municipalities, among others, will now be subjected to lifestyle audits and vetting processes.
Also read: Free State premier announces lifestyle audits
The announcement comes after irate residents this past weekend told President Cyril Ramaphosa, during the Presidential Imbizo, that officials employed in government were causing chaos and looting public funds. The Public Service and Administration Minister, Ayanda Dlodlo, recently announced that lifestyle audits will be compulsory for all national and provincial departments from 1 April 2022.
