Limpopo Treasury MEC Seaparo Sekoati tables provincial budget -

The Limpopo MEC for Treasury Seaparo Sekoati on Tuesday tabled the 2023/24 provincial budget at the Legislative Chambers in Lebowakgomo.

MEC Sekoati outlined the provincial government’s spending plans for the 2023/24 financial year. The allocations are derived from the receipt of equitable shares, conditional grants and provincial own revenue. The Provincial Equitable Share accounts for approximately 83.4 percent of the provincial sources of funding.

“The 2023/24 provincial equitable share is R65.349 billion growing to R67.974 billion and R71.502 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years respectively,” announced Sekoati.

Provincial conditional grants allocations amount to R34.113 billion over the 2023 MTEF period, with R11.329 billion allocated in 2023/24, R11.115 billion in 2024/25 and R11.670 billion in 2025/26 financial years.”

The department of Education receives the highest share of 48.2 percent of the provincial budget. It is followed by the Department with the second highest allocations of the provincial budget at 30.0 percent.

LIMPOPO PROVINCIAL BUDGET ALLOCATIONS PER DEPARTMENT:

OFFICE OF THE PREMIER

The Office of the Premier is allocated R438.385 million in 2023/24, R454.216 million in 2024/25 and R469.909 million in 2025/26 financial years. Included in the allocation is R23.536 million earmarked funding to implement ICT related projects in the province, Provincial Energy Strategy and Provincial ICT Infrastructure Assessment Audit.

PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE

The Provincial Legislature receives an allocated budget of R492.417 million in 2023/24, R470.048 million in 2024/25 and R487.217 million in 2025/26 financial year.

EDUCATION

The department is allocated R38.188 billion in 2023/24, R39.360 billion in 2024/25 and R40.695 billion in 2024/25 financial years respectively.

The 2023/24 allocation includes R884.669 million for Presidential Youth Employment Initiatives, R36.903 million for Sanitary Dignity Project, R655.636 million additional Compensation of Employees for Educators, R100 million for E-Education, R100 million for Storm Damage Schools, R70.000 million for Improvement of Matric Results Project, R3.354 billion for Conditional Grants and R772.750 million from own revenue.

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Agriculture and Rural Development is allocated a budget of R1.771 billion in 2023/24, R1.822 billion in 2024/25 and R1.903 billion in 2025/26 financial years respectively. The allocation includes R340.365 million in 2023/24 financial year for Conditional Grants.

Included in the departmental allocation, is an amount of R30.0 million for Revitalisation of Agriculture and Agro-Processing Value Chain (RAAVC) Projects.

PROVINCIAL TREASURY

The Provincial Treasury receives a budget allocation of R457.668 million in 2023/24, R473.004 million in 2024/25 and R489.065 million in 2025/26 financial year.

Included in the departmental allocation are National Priority Funding of R11.295 million for Municipal Intervention Capacity Building and R5.466 million for Infrastructure Capacity Building Programmes.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM

The Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism is allocated a budget of R1.450 billion in 2023/24, R1.404 billion in 2024/25 and R1.422 billion in 2025/26 financial year. Included in the allocation is R1.920 million for EPWP Conditional Grant and R603.067 million for transfers to Public Entities.

The public entities transfer amounts include R215.0 million for Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone and Fetakgomo-Tubatse Industrial Park. R22.700 million for Tourism Marketing to be transferred to the Limpopo Tourism Agency.

HEALTH

The total allocation to the department is R23.772 billion in 2023/24, R24.195 billion in 2024/25 and R25.208 billion in 2025/26 financial years. Included in the 2023/24 allocation is R119.945 million for placement of medical graduates, R192.955 million for Employment of Doctors, R50 million for Purchase of Ambulances in Limpopo and R20 million for Cuban Doctor Programme. The allocation also includes R3.927 billion for Conditional Grants and R637.2 million from own revenue.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNITY SAFETY

The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety is allocated R2.484 billion in 2023/24. R2.480 billion in 2024/25 and R2.5843 billion in 2025/26 financial years respectively. Included in the 2023/24 allocated is R442.951 million for conditional grants. R70.498 million for transfer to Gateway Airport Authority Limited (GAAL). R98.688 million for provincial priorities which include R30.000 million for revitalization of Traffic Training College. R33 million for the construction of K53 Projects, R3 million for Mampakuil Project. R6.7 million for the revitalization of traffic stations, R6 million for the finalisation of the Thohoyandou taxi facility and R20.0 million for Implementation of Service Delivery Projects at Gateway Airport Authority Limited (GAAL).

PUBLIC WORKS, ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

The department receives a budget allocation of R4.950 billion in 2023/24. R4.388 billion in 2024/25 and R4.532 billion in 2025/26 financial years. Included in the allocation is R150.000 million for Municipal Rates and Taxes. R130 million for ZCC R71 Interchange Road Project, R100 million of Purchase of Building as per Executive Committee Resolution. R10 million of Purchase of Yellow Fleet. R20 million of Refurbishment of LEDET Suid Street Building. R30 million of Construction of Roads at Musina Makhado SEZ and R6 million to install prepaid electricity meters in state owned properties.

SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture receives an allocation of R621.816 million in 2023/24. R690.345 million in 2024/25 and R775.756 million in 2025/26 financial year. The allocation for 2023/24 includes conditional grants allocations amounting to R221.888 million. Included in the departmental 2023/24 allocation is R10 million for the Provincial theatre.

CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE, HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS

The Department Co-Operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs is allocated a budget of R2.592 billion in 2023/24. R2.683 billion in 2024/25 and R2.754 billion in 2025/26 financial year. Included in the allocation is conditional grant allocation of R1.229 billion. Of which R946.060 million is also for Human Settlement Development Grant. R281.341 million is also for Informal Settlement Upgrading Partnership Grant and R1.960 million is for EPWP Grant.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The Department of Social Development will receive R1.946 billion in 2023/24, R2.020 billion in 2024/25 and R2.091 billion also during the 2025/26 financial year. The allocation also includes a conditional grant allocation of R10.233 million for the Expanded Public Works Programme.