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KZN govt to cut over R1bn in spending – Premier

Pietermaritzburg – In a bid to reign in expenditure, the KwaZulu-Natal government is expected to cut over R1 billion in spending in the first year of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, Premier Senzo Mchunu said on Thursday.

Pietermaritzburg – In a bid to reign in expenditure, the KwaZulu-Natal government is expected to cut over R1 billion in spending in the first year of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, Premier Senzo Mchunu said on Thursday.

“There have been strenuous negotiations on directives issued to cut expenditure. The plan was to find solutions that will not negatively impact on service delivery,” he said in his State of the Province Address in Pietermaritzburg.

His sentiments echoed those of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who announced government spending cuts of R25bn over the next three years in his budget speech on Wednesday.

Mchunu said despite the strain the drought had placed on the province, the provincial government would ensure essential projects were not affected. 
A total of R872 million would be spent via the municipal infrastructure grant on water projects in the province in the current financial year.The drought would affect food prices, and the poor would be the worst affected.Because the province had been declared a disaster area they had received relief of around R300 million, he said.The Zululand District had been heavily impacted by the drought. There had been increased pressure on making progress with the Hazelmere and Smithfield dams.“More than satisfactory progress” had been made with the larger water schemes, he said.

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