By
Hon VF Hlabisa: Leader of the Official Opposition and President of the IFP
TUESDAY 25TH MAY 2021: PIETERMARITZBURG
Hon Speaker, Hon D/Speaker, & Hon Members
Having just dealt with our provincial KwaZulu Natal Appropriation Bill 2021, and having given it a stamp of approval, it is thus appropriate that as the IFP we also give a go ahead to our NCOP Delegation to vote in favor of the Division of revenue bill (B3-2021).
In the same vein, this will not be because of the clean slate of National Government in executing implementation of spending on our national fiscus. If one were to consider this clean bill of health in spending, our government would be lagging behind in miles. It is all because of a consideration that governance has to continue and this is reliant on spending.
As the IFP, we do wish to stress this importance of spending with care and value for money to the powers that be. We are aware that due to the Covid-19 challenges and the negative growth of the country’s economy, National Treasury had to put into effect tremendous budget cuts into all departments and all levels of government and government entities. The economic decline in the country has also impacted negatively upon the collection efforts of our Revenue. Hon members, the purse is shrinking. The cake is getting smaller. In simple terms this means that monies that we have been used to, have been reduced. This entails that all departments have to cut their coats according to their clothes.
We therefore have to call for decisive punitive measures to unscrupulous spenders. The saying of doing more with less is much more relevant now more than ever before. We must make South Africans enjoy the fruits of the hard-earned freedom, no matter how little the resources can afford. The IFP calls upon our national legislators to tighten their oversight efforts in order to ensure that government money does what it was budgeted for.
We therefore support the bill, Hon Deputy Speaker.
I thank you.