Cape Town – The Western Cape medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) and the adjusted estimates of provincial revenue and expenditure were tabled in the provincial parliament on Thursday.
Western Cape MEC for Finance and Economic Opportunities David Maynier said the guiding light for the province’s recovery plan was a focus on jobs, safety and well-being.
Maynier said the province is expected to spend R71.3 billion in 2021/22, R72.5 billion in 2022/23 and R73 billion in 2023/24 over the medium term.
He said a total of R1.4 billion in a support package has been mobilised for jobs, safety and well-being in the financial year in order for the Western Cape to bounce back from the damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In terms of jobs, Maynier said additional funds have been allocated to support small businesses by accelerating basic repair and infrastructure to schools in the province to the amount of R155.9 million.
An additional R12 million has been allocated to support small businesses hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and an additional R8.5 million has been allocated to support businesses in the wine industry struck by Covid-19.
In terms of safety, an additional R36.5 million has been allocated to provide fencing for schools in the province, R20 million to appoint youth as safety ambassadors to drive violence prevention interventions and R15 million to improve data collection at emergency centres to support evidence-based violence prevention.
As to well-being, Maynier said an additional R4 million has been provided to appoint youth to support the development of literacy and numeracy at early childhood development centres in the province.
He said the province has welcomed additional funding from the national government of R814.2 million to employ education assistants and general assistants at schools, R53 million to supplement employee salaries at ECD centres and R51.2 million for food relief.
Maynier said the Western Cape was also ready to support front-line departments after a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the province.
He said the province has R227 million available for the Health Department’s budget, R200 million available for the Transport and Public Works budget and R864 million as provincial reserves.
African News Agency (ANA)