DEPARTMENT ALLOCATED R5.4 BILLION BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE VULNERABLE

DEPARTMENT ALLOCATED R5.4 BILLION BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE VULNERABLE 

By Phetoho Maja 

• The Gauteng Department of Social Development received a budget allocation of R5.4 billion for the 2024/25 financial year and R16.9 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), targeting various societal issues.

• Gauteng MEC for Finance, Jacob Mamabolo, highlighted that the allocation’s focus was on addressing homelessness and supporting vulnerable populations through shelter programmes, social services, and housing support initiatives.
• The budget also included significant funding, amounting to R190.6 million and R588.2 million over the MTEF, towards treatment centres and the Drug and Substance Abuse programme, underscoring the government’s commitment to combatting social challenges.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development has been allocated a budget of R5.4 billion for the 2024/25 financial year and a total of R16.9 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). 

According to Gauteng MEC for Finance, Jacob Mamabolo, the budget will implement broad initiatives related to addressing societal problems, including providing funding for shelter programmes, social services, and housing support initiatives to assist vulnerable populations and combat homelessness.

Mamabolo was speaking during the tabling of the 2024/25 Gauteng Provincial Budget at the Provincial Legislature in Johannesburg on Tuesday. 

He said addressing homelessness and supporting vulnerable populations remains imperative and that the Department, in addition, will receive R190.6 million and R588.2 million over the MTEF towards treatment centres in Randfontein, Witpoortjie and Sedibeng, as well as the overall Drug and Substance Abuse programme.

“This budget comes after the presentation of the State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa, State of the Province Address by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the National Budget by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.”

“We are tabling the budget a day after the launch of Human Rights Month under the theme: Three Decades of Respect For and Promotion of Human Rights.”

“We join calls by the government to urge all South Africans to use Human Rights Month to foster greater social cohesion, nation-building, and a shared national identity, and to strive for inclusive socio-economic development while ensuring that we combat the scourge of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and all related intolerances as well as gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide, which are undermining our human rights culture,” said MEC Mamabolo. 

He added that the budget came as the government observes 30 years of Democracy, commemorating the historic day of 27th April 1994, when millions of South Africans exercised their right to vote for the first time in their lives.