Western Cape Finance and Economic Opportunities on Western Cape Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement 2020

WC MTBPS 2020 - 'A Budget to Bounce Back in the Western Cape'

Today we tabled the Western Cape Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) and the 2020 Adjusted Estimates of Provincial Revenue and Expenditure in the Western Cape provincial parliament.

When Premier Alan Winde delivered his special address in this parliament a month ago, he outlined a recipe for real change in the Western Cape.

To guide our work, and to improve people's lives Premier Alan Winde chose to focus on three 'North Stars' - on 'Jobs', on 'Safety' and on 'Wellbeing' over the medium term, which are guiding lights of the recovery plan in the Western Cape.

We expect to spend R71.3 billion in 2021/22, R72.5 billion in 2022/23 and R73 billion in 2023/24 over the medium term in the Western Cape.

And, I am pleased to announce that we have mobilised an combined R1.4 billion support package for 'Jobs', for 'Safety' and for 'Wellbeing' in this financial year, so that we can bounce back in the Western Cape.

On 'Jobs' inter alia:

• We have allocated an additional R155.9 million to support small businesses by accelerating basic maintenance and repair of infrastructure at schools in the Western Cape.
• We have allocated an additional R12 million to support small businesses, which have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Western Cape.
• And we have allocated an additional R8.5 million to support businesses in the wine industry, which have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Western Cape.

On 'Safety' inter alia:

• We have allocated an additional R36.5 million to keep our children safe by accelerating the fencing of schools in the Western Cape.
• We have allocated an additional R20 million to appoint young people as 'safety ambassadors' to drive violence prevention interventions in the Western Cape.
• And we have allocated an additional R15 million to improve the collection of data at emergency centres to support evidence-based violence prevention in the Western Cape.

On 'Wellbeing' inter alia:

• We have allocated an additional R4 million to appoint young people to support the development of literacy and numeracy at early childhood development centres in the Western Cape.

We have also received welcome national government funding to support 'Jobs', 'Safety' and 'Wellbeing' in the Western Cape.

Which includes inter alia:

• an additional R814.2 million to employ education assistants and general assistants at schools;
• an additional R53 million to supplement the salaries of employees at early childhood development centres;
• an additional R51.2 million to provide food relief to people who are hungry; and

We are also prepared and stand ready to support frontline departments to respond to the resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Western Cape.

We have:

• R227 million available on the health department's budget;
• R200 million available on the transport and public works department's budget; and
• R864 million available in the provincial reserves.

We have to face the fact that the demands on government have never been greater, but that there is significantly less money to do the job, and because of that we will have to make difficult decisions in the Western Cape.

However, we can and we will do whatever it takes to ensure that every single person, no matter who they are, or where they come from, could live a life of dignity, because the life of every person matters in the Western Cape.

And we can, and we will, do whatever it takes to bounce back in the Western Cape.

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