Hon Deputy Speaker, hon members, the Standing Committee on Appropriations would like to congratulate the Minister of Finance for presenting the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, MTBPS, the Adjustments Appropriation Bill, B32 of 2012, and the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill. The majority of South Africans, if not all, agree that this was good work under very trying economic circumstances, domestically and internationally. At the beginning of the year, the Minister said, and I quote:
This budget sets out a clear challenge for government at all levels to achieve more by using public resources with greater efficiency. Our success in achieving the ambitious goals we set ourselves will be determined by our ability to execute our plans in full and on time. At the introduction of the MTBPS, the Minister again indicated very clearly that the fiscus as it stands today will not increase available funds beyond the 2012 budget baseline. The Minister had to ensure that the departments improved efficiency, effectiveness and economic utilisation of scarce resources. We, however, congratulate the departments for their co-operation in ensuring that savings were realised. However, as a committee we would like to ensure that we agree on the usage of terminology, so that savings is savings to all of us.
The Division of Revenue Amendment Bill proposes that Parliament approves revisions of R4 billion to the provincial budgets' improvement on the conditions of service for personnel for higher than budgeted wage agreements, as government had settled on 7% with the unions instead of the 5% that was budgeted for, including R87 million for the FET colleges grant.
The African Cup of Nations, Afcon, will be played on our shores next year. The Division of Revenue Amendment Bill proposes to allocate R15 million for the provision of medical services in the five provinces that will be hosting the matches. The Medical Services grant will make the provision for the establishment of, amongst others: medical centres for primary health care and emergency treatment capacity at specific venues; secondly, it will provide emergency medical services; thirdly, it will command and control functions to ensure the health security strategy; and fourthly, to provide mass gathering preparations.
Provinces will have to maintain separate budgets in relation to this grant. A further R180 million is added to KwaZulu-Natal for unforeseen and unavoidable spending on the Health Infrastructure grant, whilst R186 million is set aside for the Hospital Revitalisation grant, of which R166 million is earmarked for the Free State and R20 million for KwaZulu- Natal.
For local government, the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill proposes the approval of rollovers of over R20 million for Regional Bulk Infrastructure grants and R17,4 million for the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, to municipalities. These funds were already committed before the end of the 2011-12 financial year. A further R123 million is allocated to the 2013 Afcon host cities operating grants so that South Africa can host a successful Afcon tournament.
Lastly, R45,5 million for the EPWP is allocated to provide for full incentive amounts for the third and fourth quarter for the municipalities that were not allocated their funds by the end of the financial year. As the ANC, we propose the approval of the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill. I thank you.
There was no debate.
Declarations of vote: