Gauteng’s R500bn budget focuses on crime, township economy boost

Gauteng Finance MEC Jacob Mamabolo on Tuesday tabled a provincial budget for Gauteng of R165.8-billion for the 2024/25 financial year, with a focus on fighting crime and boosting the township economy.

This will increase to R171.5-billion in 2025/26 and to R176.8-billion in 2026/27, equating to the injection of R514.1-billion over the next three years into Gauteng’s economy.

“This is a massive growth on our budget,” he said during his Gauteng Budget Speech for the 2024/25 financial year, noting that over the past five years, a combined R744-billion, or R149-billion a year, had been invested into South Africa’s most populous province.

“This budget strikes a balance between the fiscal constraints that continue to be a drag on resource allocation and the protection of the social wage, while at the same time striving towards the Gauteng of our dreams,” he said, noting that the 2024 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Budget was compiled under more challenging circumstances than ever before, owing to deep fiscal constraints and a weak economic outlook.

Mamabolo highlighted the allocations of R2.3-billion in 2024/25 – R7.2-billion over the MTEF – to the Gauteng Department of Community Safety to bolster law enforcement capabilities.

This includes crime prevention wardens, helicopters and drones, the Provincial Integrated Command Centre, community policing initiatives and fighting gender-based violence (GBV) and crimes against children through the GBV Response Plan, as well as crime prevention programmes aimed at fostering safer communities.

The Gauteng provincial government (GPG) allocated R50-million in 2024/25 and R111.4-million over the MTEF to the Gauteng Department of e-Government to install CCTV cameras to monitor crime hotspots within the township, informal settlement and hostel, or TISH, areas, while an additional allocation of R10-million was made available for the rollout of e-Panic buttons.

Overall, the Gauteng Department of e-Government received R1.7-billion in 2024/25, and R5.1-billion over the MTEF, to modernise the provincial information and communication technology infrastructure and government services, with an additional R50-million in 2024/25 and R73.7-million over the MTEF provided for the expansion of WiFi hotspots in all townships.

“Township entrepreneurial activity is key to fast-track the growth of the provincial economy,” he said.

In line with this, for the 2024/25 financial year, R1.7-billion, and R5.3-billion over the 2024 MTEF, had been directed to the Gauteng Department of Economic Development for job creation initiatives and the revitalisation of the township economy, including industrial parks, and to transform Gauteng into a single, multi-tiered mega special economic zone to attract investment and tourism.

While the focus was on combatting crime and growing the township economy, the bulk of the province’s budget, at 83%, was allocated to the social cluster, with the Gauteng Department of Education receiving R65.8-billion in 2024/25 and a total of R205.9-billion over the next three years.

“The funds will be used to expand access, quality education and skills development opportunities to empower individuals, enhance workforce readiness and drive socioeconomic progress,” Mamabolo commented.

Further, R64.8-billion in 2024/25 and R202.7-billion over the MTEF was allocated to Gauteng Department of Health to implement health and wellness interventions, particularly in TISH areas.

The GPG allocated R5.4-billion in 2024/25 and R16.9-billion over the MTEF to the Gauteng Department of Social Development to address societal problems, including providing funding for shelter programmes, social services and housing support initiatives to assist vulnerable populations and combat homelessness.

The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements received R5.8-billion in 2024/25 and R16.9-billion over three years to provide housing and infrastructure advancements through the Human Settlements Development Grant, Rapid Land Release Programme and Urban Renewal Programme, to improve living conditions in TISH areas.

In 2024/25, R1-billion in 2024/25 and R3.3-billion over the 2024 MTEF was allocated to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment to fund agriparks and milling plants, as well as agroprocessing and the mainstreaming of urban agriculture, while the Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs had been allocated R1-billion in 2024/25 and R2.3-billion over the MTEF to enhance existing initiatives focused on the energy crisis response plan in collaboration with the national energy committee, local government and energy experts.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport received R9.4-billion in 2024/25 and R28.1-billion over the 2024 MTEF to complete infrastructure projects and launch new number plates that include the track and trace system, and the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development received R3.2-billion in 2024/25 and R10-billion over the MTEF to provide quality maintenance services for the assets within its custodianship.

The Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation was allocated R1-billion in 2024/25 and R3.3-billion over the 2024 MTEF for cultural programmes, sports development, and arts projects that promote social cohesion, celebration of diversity and fostering community engagement.

In addition, the GPG allocated R817-million in 2024/25, and R2.6-billion over the MTEF to the Gauteng Provincial Treasury, while the Office of the Premier was allocated R61.3-million in 2024/25 and R189.3-million over the 2024 MTEF.

Gauteng Provincial Legislature was allocated R844.9-million in 2024/25 and R2.6-billion over the MTEF.