(Note to Editors: The following Budget Debate was delivered during a Sitting of the KZN Legislature held today)
KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Social Development portfolio committee has interrogated the Department’s 2026/2027 Budget and Annual Performance Plan (APP). As legislators, our responsibility extends beyond simply approving a budget – we must ensure that every rand delivers meaningful services to our province’s people.
The Budget
A budget is not just a financial document. It is a statement of government’s priorities and commitment to improving the lives of our most vulnerable. The APP provides the roadmap, while the budget provides the resources. The two must be fully aligned if we are to ensure that commitments become realities in our communities.
The committee welcomes the department’s continued shift from a predominantly social welfare approach towards a developmental social welfare model. This is important. While social assistance remains essential for many households, the long-term objective must be to empower people to become economically active, self-reliant and resilient.
It is not possible to build a prosperous province if generation after generation remains trapped in poverty and dependency. Social development must focus on investing in people through youth development, skills training, early childhood development, family strengthening programmes, substance abuse prevention, support for persons with disabilities, women empowerment initiatives and sustainable livelihood programmes.
However, a well-prepared budget alone does not guarantee success. Implementation remains the greatest challenge.
Equitable distribution
One of the committee’s concerns is the equitable distribution of resources and opportunities across all districts. Communities repeatedly raise concerns that access to programmes and funding is not always based solely on need, but sometimes influenced by political affiliation, personal relationships or favouritism. This must end.
District Directors have an enormous responsibility. They are custodians of public resources and must ensure that every decision is based on fairness, transparency and community’s needs. Government resources belong to KZN’s people – not political parties, friends or family members.
Corruption, maladministration or political interference undermines public confidence and diverts resources away from those who need them most. The department’s officials – particularly senior management and the Chief Financial Officer – must continue strengthening internal controls, enforcing accountability and taking decisive action where unethical conduct is identified.
Financial Management
The department deserves recognition for financial management. Across South Africa, delayed payments to service providers continue to place enormous pressure on small businesses and non-profit organisations. Nationally, there has been growing concern about departments failing to comply with 30-day payment requirements.
KZN’s DSD has worked hard to ensure that invoices are processed and paid within the prescribed 30-days. This achievement deserves recognition because prompt payment supports local businesses, protects employment and ensures that organisations providing essential services can continue operating without unnecessary financial strain.
The Auditor-General (AG) has also acknowledged improvements in the department’s governance and financial management. While there is always room for improvement, these positive developments demonstrate that sound leadership, disciplined financial controls and responsible administration can produce measurable results. The DA acknowledges the leadership of MEC, Mbali Shinga, her Head of Department, Chief Financial Officer and management team, for steering the department in a positive direction while maintaining accountability and improving governance.
NGOs
The department’s success cannot be measured solely by what government does directly. Much of its work is delivered through Non-Profit Organisations (NGOs) which are often the first responders within communities. They provide shelter for victims of gender-based violence, care for children in need of protection, support older persons, provide services to persons with disabilities, assist families affected by substance abuse and deliver programmes in communities where government alone cannot reach.
Without NGOs, many vulnerable citizens would not receive the support they need and, for this reason, NGO funding is not an expense – it is an investment in our communities.
The committee welcomes the department’s recent efforts to strengthen the Sector Funding Policy, improve transparency in funding allocations and introduce more accountable systems for the management of public funds. These reforms have been presented as measures to restore public confidence and ensure that funding reaches organisations that genuinely deliver quality services.
However, greater funding must also be matched by greater accountability. Every organisation receiving public money must demonstrate good governance, sound financial management and measurable outcomes. KZN’s people deserve to know that every rand allocated reaches the intended beneficiaries and is not lost through poor governance or weak oversight. The committee will continue to monitor this closely.
Partnerships
KZN continues to face significant social challenges. High unemployment, particularly among young people, continues to place enormous pressure on families. Gender-based violence remains one of the greatest threats facing women and children. Substance abuse continues to destroy lives and communities. The growing number of vulnerable children, older persons requiring care and persons living with disabilities reminds us daily that social development remains central to building a caring society.
These challenges require more than government alone. They require partnerships between departments, municipalities, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, civil society, business and communities themselves. The department cannot work in isolation. Its success depends upon collaboration.
Good governance is built on accountability, sound financial management and responsible leadership which cannot be compromised by political slogans or populist rhetoric. It is therefore concerning that parties such as uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) – which have yet to demonstrate a proven track record of governing and delivering sustainable public services – continue to criticize. It is easier to criticise from the sidelines than it is to manage budgets, ensure clean governance and deliver services to millions of people.
The focus now must be on building capable institutions, protecting public resources, strengthening accountability and ensuring that government serves the people with integrity and transparency.
Oversight
The committee remains committed to exercising robust oversight throughout this financial year. We will continue monitoring expenditure, programme implementation, service delivery outcomes and APP compliance.
As a responsible partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) the DA will acknowledge where progress is made but we will also raise it when shortcomings arise and hold the department accountable. Ultimately, this budget is about people – every financial allocation must translate into real change on the ground. KZN’s people deserve nothing less.