The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has today abstained from voting on the 2023 Adjustment Appropriation Bill during a Sitting of the provincial Legislature.
This after the Bill – which contains serious financial implications for KZN – was tabled this morning and then debated an hour later, allowing political parties little opportunity to view and engage on the document.
The time-frame also means that the Bill has not been subject to any public participation processes despite the impact it will have on our citizens.
The question is: Is KZN’s Taliban faction ANC executive even aware of the contents of this Bill, despite voting in its favour? And, why was it necessary to embargo the Bill?
The DA has raised numerous concerns over the fiscal outlook in our province. This as the mid-term budget hearings reveal a projected overspend of R9.7billion.
National Treasury has committed to funding R3.7billion towards the unfunded Compensation of Employees (CoE). Yet the reality is that it is only funding of R2.5billion, with the balance coming from R1.2billion in cuts from provincial conditional grants.
These conditional grants form the backbone of infrastructure and service delivery in essential areas including health and education.
The ANC does not care about KZN’s economy. Instead, it engages in endless grandstanding and meet, greet and eats that have left our province in financial ruins.
It has no game plan when it comes to securing the future of KZN’s citizens. In 2024, when they go to the polls, they will have the opportunity to rescue our province.