Latest news with #TimBrauteseth
The Citizen
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Fairer and transparent KZN budget urgently needed
As one of South Africa's most populous provinces, KZN faces immense pressure to deliver quality services – with the departments of education, health, social development, transport, and public works serving as the central engines of service delivery. This is according to the DA in KZN, which says the 2025 Division of Revenue Bill forms the cornerstone of the province's fiscal framework. DA KZN Spokesperson on Finance, Tim Brauteseth, says this Bill determines how nationally-raised revenue is distributed across the three spheres of government. He says there needs to be a greater focus on the Bill's implications for KZN's government departments and municipalities. In education, Brauteseth said, while allocations have increased nominally, they fail to keep pace with inflation, rising pupil numbers, and infrastructure backlogs. 'This, while our rural schools continue to operate without proper sanitation, libraries, or digital access. We call for a ringfenced infrastructure grant for rural schools and performance-linked incentives for provinces that improve literacy and numeracy outcomes,' said Brauteseth. Meanwhile, in health, he said the provincial hospitals and clinics are under strain due to staff shortages, outdated equipment. Despite funds intended for medicine being ringfenced, he said poor management of medicine stockpiles hampers timely delivery, to the ultimate detriment of patients. Moreover, Brauteseth added that the social development allocations remain modest despite growing demand. 'During recent public hearings, citizens raised concerns about the funding of NPOs that deliver critical services. 'KZN's departments of transport and public works face similar challenges. Road maintenance and infrastructure upgrades are essential for economic development, yet funding remains unspent in the case of transport; close to R1-billion will remain unspent,' he said. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
01-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Urgent calls for community engagement in KwaZulu-Natal's water master plan
KwaZulu-Natal is one of the provinces with the highest water losses in the country, with the 2022 and 2023 no-drop results indicating that the non-revenue water (NRW) averaged 52.6%. Image: Paballo Thekiso / Independent Newspapers KwaZulu-Natal is one of the provinces with the highest water losses in the country, with the 2022 and 2023 no-drop results indicating that the non-revenue water (NRW) averaged 52.6%. This was higher than the global aggregate of 30% and was one of the water provision challenges the KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) stated when they presented their progress report on the KZN Provincial Water Master Plan (PWMP) to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Portfolio Committee on Tuesday. Other challenges include no planned maintenance programme in relation to aging infrastructure, and also unplanned/reactive maintenance, which is mostly undertaken. In its presentation, Cogta stated that drinking water quality management remains a challenge in the province, as 21 water systems were found to be in a critical state as per the Blue Drop results published by DWS in December 2023. This has also resulted in a decline in the water quality in Amajuba, King Cetshwayo, uMzinyathi, and Zululand districts. The department has implemented what they term seven pillars in response to some of the challenges. They are: Water resources programme. Water treatment, bulk distribution, and storage. Water reticulation programme. Water conservation/water demand management programme. Financial sustainability and revenue enhancement programme. Operations and maintenance programme. Human resources development programme. In a brief presentation, the uMgeni-uThukela Water also highlighted several infrastructure projects in various stages of implementation, with the upgrade of the KwaMaphumulo treatment plant from 6 to 12 Ml/d and secondary bulk pipelines (9 Ml/d capacity) through the Mshwathi Bulk Water Supply Scheme (BWSS) in Ilembe District Municipality being one of them. A presentation by the eThekwini Municipality Water and Sanitation (EWS) touched on the Water Turnaround Strategy and new bulk water schemes. The strategy addresses 12 key areas of the water business over the short and medium term. A cornerstone of the strategy is to improve the financial position of EWS for the improved maintenance and replacement of assets. Tim Brauteseth, MPL and DA KZN spokesperson on Finance and Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), was concerned about staff shortages in various entities and non-revenue water figures. 'There must be a clampdown on theft and vandalism of water infrastructure and reduction of algae in the system that is blocking pipes,' he said. Bonginkosi Mngadi, MPL and uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) member, called for more public hearings to listen to the plight of the people on issues of water. Mngadi called for the prioritisation of boreholes throughout the districts, with emphasis on deep rural areas. 'There are issues of water being supplied by tankers that are using municipal budgets. We need to look into the possibility of boreholes rather than spend money on water trucks. Some of these trucks are travelling quite a distance to reach some areas. Harding is confronted with a drought, and bore holes will assist the residents,' he suggested. Dr Celiwe Qhamkile Madlopha, ANC MPL, called for roadshows to explain to the public what the challenges are and what is being done going forward with regard to water supply issues. 'When the community raises challenges, they think it falls on deaf ears because they do not know about the good work being done to address it. I am concerned about service delivery on the ground and the grants not being spent,' she said. Marlaine Nair, chairperson of the KZN Legislature Cogta Portfolio Committee, called for an updated water master plan so that progress can be tracked. 'The planned maintenance and slow implementation are serious concerns for us. Why are municipalities not rolling out plans in place?' she asked. Otto Bonginkosi Kunene, an IFP MPL, was concerned about water and sanitation rollouts in the province, which he believed were critical in rural communities. 'Sanitation is dignity, it remains a slogan and not being felt in rural areas,' he quipped. [email protected]
IOL News
07-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
KZN health department owes suppliers over R1. 7bn, raising concerns for small businesses
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health faces significant scrutiny due to a substantial R1.7 billion debt owed to suppliers. Image: File The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health is embroiled in controversy for owing suppliers a staggering R1.7 billion - a situation that is reportedly affecting service delivery in the province. In a written response to a question by the DA's Tim Brauteseth regarding outstanding payments, KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane disclosed that the department's total debts to suppliers stand at R1 740 624 847.03. A table illustrating amounts owned by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health to suppliers. Image: Thobeka Ngema 'The department endeavours to pay all suppliers and service providers within 30 days; however, the cash flow challenges that are facing the KZN Department of Health hinders that,' Simelane said and that the amount will be settled during the first quarter of the next financial year. Simelane added that an amount of R1.7 billion will form part of accruals. These payments could not be paid in the previous financial year because of the department's financial challenges. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ DA KZN spokesperson on health, Dr Imran Keeka, said the party is concerned that KZN businesses are owed an estimated R1.7 billion by the provincial Department of Health (DoH). Keeka said the reply also indicates that of this, R1.33 billion falls within the 60 to 90-day payment period. Meanwhile, there are 1 519 unpaid invoices in the over 90-day period, amounting to just over R71 million. He said it is understandable that these precise figures would have undoubtedly fluctuated, given that such finances always remain fluid. During portfolio committee meetings, Simelane consistently and openly discussed her department's financial difficulties, according to Keeka's observation. 'However, such a situation – the non-payment of suppliers on time - should not have arisen in the first place or to the point where they are affecting services,' Keeka said. 'The concern arising out of the parliamentary reply is that it's very possible that small and medium-sized companies in KZN are worst affected. Equally concerning is that the MEC and acting HOD intimated, during the same meetings, that some service providers, while paid, had not paid their staff. This had led to protest action in some instances implicating the DoH. However, what happens within companies once the DoH has concluded its business with them is beyond its control.' Keeka said the party notes the department has adopted a 'take from Peter to pay Paul' approach to resolve some of the payment issues. This seems to have left some companies struggling more than others. Again, it particularly affects small businesses. Regrettably, this resulted in several suppliers gathering at the department's Pietermaritzburg head office on Monday, demanding payment. 'The response from MEC Simelane confirms that the outstanding amounts due to suppliers will be paid during the first quarter of the new financial year, which began on April 1,' Keeka said. He said the Division of Revenue Bill or the budget, as presented by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on March 12, has been withdrawn, with provinces set to table their budgets within two weeks of May 21. Once KZN's budget is tabled and certainty exists, it is expected that the situation may turn around.
