Note to editors: Please find the attached English soundbite by Michael Waters MPL.
The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has revealed a harsh and cruel side by cutting the budget for children with special needs, by a staggering R236 million.
This was revealed in the Gauteng Mid-Term Budget Adjustment delivered by the MEC for Finance, Lebogang Maile.
The vulnerable people in Gauteng are forced to bear the brunt of the Gauteng government’s concession to the National Treasury, regarding the e-Tolls debt, and now the budget cuts to fund e-Tolls are impacting those in need. The province’s deficit has skyrocketed by an alarming 270%, increasing from R2 billion to R5.4 billion.
Unacceptably, instead of refusing to pay the e-Tolls settlement, the Gauteng government has chosen the easier option of targeting vulnerable children with special needs in Gauteng.
Considering the overwhelming cost of e-Tolls and the impending education budget cuts to essential services, the Gauteng government should prioritise the people’s needs instead of e-Tolls.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) warned this government from the onset that the e-Tolling system is fundamentally flawed. However, they proceeded with the system and have now accrued unnecessary debt, which Gauteng residents must pay through the cutting of other services.
The DA strongly opposes the Gauteng government’s reduction of services for vulnerable children in our province.
We demand that the Gauteng government find alternative ways to fund the e-Toll debt without cutting the budget intended to support our province’s most vulnerable.
A caring DA Gauteng provincial government would not have reduced the budget for children with special needs, as they deserve the same respect as any other child.