Gauteng Provincial Treasury used as a shield to protect ANC cadres at the expense of service delivery
4 April 2023
Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s government has created a heavily staffed Gauteng Provincial Treasury (GPT) Department ahead of the 2024 general elections as a way to secure employment for their cadres when they lose power.
Service delivery will continue to suffer in Gauteng as this government is misdirecting the money that is meant to improve the lives of our people.
Shortly after the 2023/2024 budget speech was delivered, the Democratic Alliance had to check the number of staff employed by the GPT.
Below is a comparison for all nine provinces as taken from the 2021/2022 annual reports:
|
Provincial Treasury |
Personnel expenditure (CoE) |
Personnel expenditure as % |
Number of posts on approved establishment |
Headcount/Number of posts filled |
Vacancy rate |
|
|
Gauteng |
R473 398,000 |
77.3 |
972 |
733 |
25.4 |
|
|
Eastern Cape |
R319 278,000 |
83 |
416 |
407 |
2.2 |
|
|
North West |
R317 748,000 |
65 |
568 |
504 |
11 |
|
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
R317 572,000 |
55 |
398 |
323 |
18.7 |
|
|
Limpopo |
R273 807,000 |
78 |
535 |
358 |
33.1 |
|
|
Free State |
R225 808,000 |
80.6 |
412 |
354 |
14.1 |
|
|
Mpumalanga |
R190 646,000 |
44 |
433 |
296 |
14 |
|
|
Western Cape |
R188 819,000 |
65 |
299 |
297 |
0.7 |
|
|
Northern Cape |
R179 779,000 |
77.4 |
380 |
295 |
22.4 |
|
Gauteng employs the most personnel in the country, has the largest budget for the compensation of employees and has the second-highest vacancy rate in the country. This high vacancy rate is because of the new organogram that has been adopted and these new positions have now been advertised.
This is worrying as it is clear that compared to Kwa-Zulu Natal, for example, the Gauteng Provincial Treasury has a bloated staff component. Given the current state of our economy, it would be wise for our government to trim down staff and salaries as much as possible. The rest of the money can then be used to ensure our residents get the service delivery they deserve.
Uncertainty pertaining to employee costs and failed negotiations with labour unions as far as salary increase demands are concerned will impact available funds for delivering the services that many of our residents desperately need in a tight fiscal environment.
It is becoming more evident that ANC will lose power in the next general elections, and a DA-led government will be voted in. We already have plans to improve this department and deliver genuine service to the residents of Gauteng.
The DA will have an audit process on all posts within the Gauteng Provincial Treasury, and a skills audit will be conducted so that employees are matched with positions that fit their skill set. In doing this, we will be able to keep the wage bill below 60% while still ensuring our residents are provided with quality services.
Issued by Adriana Randall, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Finance, 4 April 2023
