Note to Editors: Attached please find a soundbite in English by DA MPL Mike Moriarty here.
During today’s budget vote speeches, a clear and consistent picture has emerged: departments are receiving significant allocations, yet Gauteng residents are not experiencing meaningful improvements in their daily lives. From education to social development and sports, the gap between spending and delivery continues to widen, leaving Gauteng residents behind. Consequently, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has voted against all the budgets presented because they fail to meet the needs of the citizenry.
Education
Despite a budget of more than R70 billion, the Gauteng Department of Education is cutting investment where it matters most. Infrastructure funding has been reduced by R135 million despite persistent overcrowding, asbestos infrastructure, and mobile classrooms. Schools face electricity disconnections, maintenance backlogs and a 64% cut in operational funding for Quintile 5 public schools, while administrative spending continues to grow, proving that this budget prioritises bureaucracy over learners.
Social Development
Premier Lesufi promised to protect vulnerable residents, support women and children, tackle substance abuse and ensure no child goes hungry, yet this budget tells a different story. Cuts of R201.9 million to Children and Families welfare programmes, 648 unfilled frontline vacancies, poor financial management, and delayed funding for Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), among a plethora of issues, have left the most vulnerable stranded as the government fails to turn its promises into action.
Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation
The department has been allocated R1.055 billion for the 2026/27 financial year. This is only R17.065 million more than the 2025/26 adjusted appropriation of R1.038 billion. Despite a modest overall increase, this SACR budget prioritises bureaucracy over communities, cutting funding for libraries, cultural affairs, and community programmes while significantly increasing administration costs. Gauteng residents will continue to have limited access to libraries, arts centres, and sports facilities due to inadequate funding for building and maintenance.
Below are the speeches delivered during today’s Budget Vote Debates in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL):
• Sergio Isa Dos Santos MPL, DA Shadow MEC for Education.
• Bronwynn Engelbrecht MPL, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Education.
• Refiloe Nt’sekhe, MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC Social Development.
• Ofentse Madzebatela MPL, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Social Development.
• Kingsol Chabalala MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
• Leanne De Jager MPL, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.