The Free State provincial budget is putting the province under even more financial pressure because the ANC refuses to abandon its warped policy and misguided priorities.
The Free State MEC for Finance, Ms Gadidja Brown, once again demonstrated with the budget that was tabled today that the ANC's priorities are put before those of taxpayers.
Brown failed to reign in the province's wage bill again. More than 64% of the province's total budget of R41,844 billion will go to salaries.
The provincial Treasury projects that it will grow to 65% of the budget next year.
All while incompetence and poor service in the public service is a serious problem paralysing service delivery all the more.
It is unacceptable that the wage bill exceeds, for instance, capital expenditure on critical infrastructure.
Only 11% of the budget is earmarked for infrastructure, while the province's infrastructure is crumbling.
The ANC's policy of job creation in the public service is costing taxpayers more and more while services and infrastructure are waning.
The budget for repairing the Free State's terrible roads is equally insufficient and will not solve the problem.
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) will receive approximately R40 million to assist municipalities with financial management.
Various municipalities in the Free State were placed under provincial administration over the past few years, but these municipalities kept deteriorating.
It, therefore, comes down to a wasteful and fruitless expenditure, because the ANC has proven that it is utterly unable to govern or turn around municipalities.
The Free State's estimated revenue of R1,8 billion for this financial year is not enough to cover the deficit and to address pressing problems, like the terrible condition of roads.
The Free State will remain a province on the very edge of bankruptcy as long as the ANC is in power.
The people of the Free State deserve better.
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