The Western Cape Finance MEC Deidré Baartman unveiled the province’s 2024/25 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) and Adjustment Estimates on November 26.
Themed “A Budget to Weather the Storm,” the speech has highlighted resilience and innovation as the cornerstones of the province’s strategy amid a challenging national and global economic climate.
Baartman painted a sober picture of the economic landscape, with South Africa’s growth projected at only 0.9% for 2024 and national debt expected to peak at 75.5% of GDP by 2025/26.
Despite this, she says the Western Cape is charting a path toward recovery with a projected growth of 1.0% in 2024, largely driven by tourism and infrastructure development.
The provincial budget prioritizes job creation, safety, and sustainability.
The “Growth for Jobs” strategy aims to build a R1 trillion economy by 2035, generating 600,000 jobs and focusing on youth employment, small business support, and skills development.
Safety remains a critical pillar, with additional resources allocated to violence prevention, law enforcement training, and reducing gender-based violence.
A significant portion of the budget is dedicated to climate resilience and disaster management. Following devastating floods, R947 million has been allocated to rebuild damaged infrastructure, alongside preparations for fire season and water security projects.
“Climate change is a reality,” Minister Baartman noted, emphasizing the need for robust planning to mitigate future risks.
Healthcare and education also feature prominently, with increased funding to address pressures from population growth and operational demands.
The Department of Education will receive R250 million to manage teacher shortages and accommodate new learners, while the health sector secures R230.5 million to address medical inflation.
At least 75% of additional provincial funding will go towards protecting frontline services.
Innovation underpins the Western Cape’s vision, with plans for artificial intelligence-driven analytics, digital government services, and collaboration with the World Bank to secure climate-related financing.
Provincial reserves, bolstered by prudent financial management, provide a safety net for unforeseen challenges.
“This budget is not merely an accounting exercise; it is a roadmap to resilience,” Baartman declared.
“Despite fiscal challenges, we are prioritising the services that matter most to our people with a focus on ensuring sustainable, inclusive growth for the future.”
Key allocations in the adjustment budget include:
- R250 million allocated towards compensation of educators.
- A further R600 million has been made available within the WCED’s budget to deal with their immediate teaching post and learner enrolment pressures.
- R230.5 million allocated towards the Department of Health and Wellness to relieve some pressure brought on by medical inflation and goods and services pressures.
- R193 million is made available within the Department’s infrastructure budget to provide further relief.
- R10.4 million will be adjusted for expanding peace officer training, youth resilience and neighbourhood watch programmes.
- Over R21 million will be allocated to disaster preparation, including integrated fire and water response, fire break and alien vegetation clearing, and aerial fire support. Of this, R6.2 million will be allocated towards humanitarian emergency relief and nutritional support.
- R947 million has been allocated from national conditional grants to disaster-related infrastructure reconstruction and the rehabilitation of infrastructure.
- In addition, R251 million has been allocated to the Province for the Rapid School Build programme.
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