• Budget is crucial to ensure that services are delivered to KZN’s people
• Revised budget under KZN’s GPU sees no cuts to Health budget for the first time in 10 years
• DA remains committed to good governance and financial prudence, particularly at health facility level
Note to Editors: Please note Dr Imran Keeka, MPL sound bite in English
The DA welcomes the passing of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health Budget – by a majority vote during a meeting of the province’s Health portfolio committee held earlier this week – despite opposition by the two MKP members present.
When budgets are being processed and passed, there is a budget cycle that must be followed. This involves engagement on the budget throughout the year, which we have all seen unfold with the national budget where the DA will be taking the decision on review to a high court.
KZN’s health budget is crucial to ensure that services are delivered to the many people in our province reliant on government healthcare services and it is required that all steps are correctly followed in passing this budget.
Had the portfolio committee not been in a position to pass the budget with a GPU majority vote, it would not proceed to the Legislature for a final vote at the end of April. And – until that time – KZN’s Department of Health (DoH) will not have access to the entire purse for its use against the budget parameters now adopted in the committee.
Opposition politics must never be at the expense of the people. It must always be based on due process, sound, significant and robust engagement and workable alternatives to what is disagreed on.
Yet, in opposing KZN’s Health budget, the MKP was prepared to allow healthcare to fall apart while its members consistently failed to provide any tangible or workable solutions throughout the entire Health budgetary process, instead only offering criticism and complaints.
KZN’s current budget cycle shows that it is fast becoming commonplace for the MKP to oppose departmental budgets. This, despite standing up in the provincial legislature only two weeks ago – during KZN Finance MEC, Francois Rodgers presentation of the Adjustment Appropriation Budget – and not only welcoming the processes and allocations, but lauding government for the allocations.
This revised budget – under the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) – includes no cuts for KZN’s Health budget for the first time in 10 years and a 2.5% budget increase, both moves which should ensure the employment of more healthcare professionals.
In order to ensure that this funding reaches the people of our province, the DA has also called on KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane and her department to;
• Maintain a prolonged maintenance cycle to prevent KZN’s ailing healthcare infrastructure from further collapse
• Slightly delay capital projects – including the building of more hospitals and clinics – to ensure that maintenance is prioritised and;
• Ensure stricter budgetary controls and harsher measures against health facilities that overspend to ensure more money for service delivery.
The DA remains committed to good governance and financial prudence, particularly at health facility level, where the bulk of over-expenditure occurs. We will continue to expose those political parties that come with no contributions, yet seek to undo the good work being done by KZN’s GPU.