Budget cuts to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature operations were a concern to members of the provincial legislature during a meeting with KZN Treasury on Wednesday.

The Standing Committee on Oversight (STACOV) met with Treasury to discuss funding for the KZN Legislature. 

The legislature budget has seen a substantial increase from the various budget allocations from the 2009/10 financial year zero-based budget exercise, showing an increase from R72 million in 2009 /10 to R566 million in 2027/28, explained the Treasury. 

On the other hand, the budget cuts over the years increased from R5.1 million in 2011 /12  to R190.6 million in 2027/28. 

Joanna Adu-Boahen, a budget analyst with the KZN Treasury, explained in a presentation that the net effect is that the legislature’s budget increases substantially over the years under review despite the implementation of budget cuts. 

“It should be noted that the legislature was not impacted by the 2024/25 MTEF budget cuts, and there is an undertaking that the legislature’s budget will be exempted from any future budget cuts as far as possible,” Adu-Boahen said. 

In comparison with provincial legislature budgets, KZN has the second highest budget for, 2021/22 to 2026/27 financial years, with Gauteng having the highest budget.

However, in 2027/28, KZN is projected to overtake Gauteng to be the province with the highest budget, exceeding Gauteng by R17 million. Both provinces have 80 members. 

She said that the provincial Treasury is using budget spending reviews in determining the 2026/ 27 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) budget, which is a shift from how budgets were assessed in prior years. 

The Treasury also advised on how the budget can be improved in order to meet the mandate of the legislature. This includes: 

• Continued implementation of the KZN provincial cost-cutting measures as this might free up some resources which can be allocated to priority service delivery areas. 

• Automation of business processes to improve operational inefficiencies, including reducing printing costs.

• IT Strategy to include consideration of cloud infrastructure utilising Dube-Trade Port.

• Assessment of the productivity of its existing administrative staff, to find areas for improved efficiencies 

• Review of various policies that may result in substantial savings, including overtime policy, leave encashment policy, cellphone policy, land line policy (e.g., private calls exceeding R30 per month to be paid for).

The legislature has indicated the following funding needs in the 2025 /26 adjustment estimate and over the 2026 /27 MTEF, totalling R201 million. Some of the funding is for: 

• R15.7 million for compensation of employees. 
• R15 million for once-off computer services costs for a server in 2025 /26.
• R20 million once-off replacement of the main chamber audio-visual system in 2025 /26.

The legislature also needed R9 million in 2026/27 with carry through costs for:

• R1.2 million for LGBTQIA+.
• R581,000 for sex workers symposium and,
• R1.7 million for the young women’s symposium.

Imran Keeka, a DA MPL, described the budget reduction as cut down to the bare bones, adding that committees would be hamstrung without sufficient budgets to carry out oversight. 

“Committees are the engine rooms of the legislature. When they cannot function as they should, then oversight is completely diluted,” he explained.

Nontembeko Boyce, MPL and Legislature speaker, stated that they done a lot in cost-cutting measures in the previous years by repurposing administrative staff and starting with certain units.

Boyce said that since 2020, they have moved to a paperless environment. 

S’Thembiso Magubane, an uMkhonto weSizwe Party MPL, said KZN is not treated fairly in comparison with other provincial budgets. He was concerned that Gauteng received R300 million more than KZN. 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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