Note to Editors: Please note Tim Brauteseth, MPL sound bite in English
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) welcomes the 2025/2026 provincial budget, tabled yesterday by Finance MEC, Francois Rodgers. This budget marks a significant step forward in restoring fiscal discipline, rebuilding service delivery capacity and ensuring that every rand spent delivers value to the people of our province.
Under the leadership of Premier, Thami Ntuli and MEC Rodgers, KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) has demonstrated that ethical, capable governance is not only possible – it is essential. The DA is proud to be part of a government that prioritises financial recovery, transparency, and service delivery over wasteful expenditure.
The DA commends MEC Rodgers commitment to cutting unnecessary costs, with Treasury alone saving nearly R20 million since he took the helm in June 2024. These funds are now being redirected to the implementation of an eProcurement tool which will, over time, greatly reduce the potential for wasteful expenditure within the provincial government.
Importantly, KZN’s budget protects the most vulnerable members of society. Despite fiscal constraints, the largest share of additional funding has been allocated to social sector departments, ensuring that essential services are not compromised.
The DA also supports the introduction of live financial dashboards for KZN’s government departments, a bold move by MEC Rodgers toward real-time accountability and improved fiscal oversight.
Furthermore, the budget’s focus on revenue optimisation, expenditure efficiency, and departmental recovery plans reflects the DA’s long-standing call for smart, sustainable governance.
The DA will continue to monitor the implementation of MEC Rodgers’ budget closely and will hold departments accountable. We remain committed to building a province that works for all its people – where opportunity, safety, and dignity are not privileges, but rights.