Western Cape Premier Alan Winde expresses concern that year-end budget cuts resulting from the 2023 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement will impact service delivery negatively.
Source: Wikepedia. Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde.
Winde notes that the Western Cape is already facing challenges due to its increasing population, with people moving to the province seeking services in the region.
“We get end-year cuts. Those cuts had nothing to do with the budget process. We’ve already got budget processes in place from an agreed funding amount in April and now suddenly we’ve got end-year cuts which have to come directly from service delivery,” Winde said.
“I am deeply disappointed in the #MTBPS2023. Our finances are already under pressure. We simply cannot absorb the agreed increases to the public service wage bill. It is our duty – as it is national government’s – to protect frontline services at all costs!
“I wanted to see more protection of those frontline servies in this budget. We need to be cutting away… the departments that are not making any difference in our system. We need to be promoting economic growth and boosting infrastructure spend.”
Winde said the focus of the #MTBPS2023 needed to be looking at boosting economic opportunities in the Cape, not looking at how to further divide the province.
Winde warned that it will be the citizens who are already suffering because of the national government-induced economic downturn poor who will encounter additional challenges with the reduction of frontline services.
“At the end of the day the burden has been passed onto the provinces, and by implication it has passed the burden on to the very citizens who are supposed to be getting the service.”
