Hon Chairperson
Hon Premier
Hon Members
The IFP welcomes the presentation of the budget by the Premier. We also acknowledge the role played by all key stakeholders and frontline soldiers in fighting Covid-19. It is true that Senior Leaders in the Province rose above Party political lines as we fight the pandemic. We commend all senior leaders across political lines for demonstrating maturity while providing leadership during the time of the pandemic.
Hon Chairperson, I must place it on record that numerous offices for SASSA and Department of Social Development have been alleged to have used the plight of our people badly where food parcels were given along political lines. I hope that the matter of the Councilor who was recorded on a voice clip that was formally reported to the offices of the Speaker and Premier, is receiving investigation and the report will be provided soon. Corruption of whatever nature must not be allowed to show its face.
The IFP believes that the Youth Ministry with full executive powers as opposed to the Youth Directorate is what can advance the good course of our youth better. Having said that, we support the Youth Empowerment Fund with R50 million budget this year. We believe that this money used correctly it will help to reduce youth unemployment. Our main concern is transparency and accountability of this fund. We need a full list of the R70 million and R50 million beneficiaries and their physical addresses so that we physically go there and verify the existence of these projects. We will also need to be provided with clear process of identification of beneficiaries, criteria used to fund them as well as allocations per districts for equity in the Province.
On Covid-19, the IFP welcomes the reprioritization of programs to allow the availability of R6.2 billion for KZN contribution to the R500 billion relief package. But the prioritization should not affect severely the service delivery initiates and projects.
We only hope that finally the Operation Sukuma Sakhe will finally stand up. The OSS after a decade of existence, is still sitting down. We therefore ask that quarterly the comprehensive report on OSS be presented before the portfolio to assess the impact of the OSS. The OSS Cabinet day is just an activity of ticking the box.
All said and done Hon Premier, without performance agreement with your Provincial Executive Council, under expenditure in departments will become the order of the day as we lost badly on EPWP with no consequence management. The Office of the Premier is the centre of governance and must provide leadership. Corruption must be rooted out. As the IFP raised the expenditure discrepancy on the funeral arrangements of Inkosi Vela ‘Msebeyelanga’ Shembe, we will wait for the new explanation when the portfolio sits.
As Hon Gwala was finilising, he indicated that the IFP notes Inkululeko Projects phase 2, the IFP calls upon the Premier’s portfolio to conduct an oversight visit to the Luwamba project as a lot of money was injected to this program but today it lies ugly.
The IFP will remain robust on oversight role while ensuring the support to the office of the Premier in advancing the good course of the people of KZN. The IFP supports the budget presented.
Thank you
