Madam Deputy Speaker, the MF welcomes the allocation directed to infrastructure but notes that it is evident that municipalities are struggling in terms of spending their capital budgets for implementing their capital projects. It is important to give priority to and put more effort into capacity building because infrastructure is implemented mainly at local levels. Can you imagine directing monies towards municipalities without capacity? This will result in low spending affecting service delivery, widening the gaps for fraud and corruption and ultimately resulting in monies being returned to National Treasury.
The MF is concerned about the functional role of the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, DBSA, and the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. How is the structure functioning and helping municipalities? We are concerned about the lifespan of the National Health Insurance pilot projects and whether the budget is enough for implementation, taking into account the crucial concerns of the NHI.
The failure of the Eastern Cape Department of education to spend the schools backlog infrastructure grant, in view of the fact that the allocation has been increased, is of concern to the MF. KwaZulu-Natal also has a number of remote areas and in reality we also have mud schools but no budget has been allocated for those mud schools. The MF is concerned because we know the backlog for school infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal is a tremendous challenge. The MF will support the Bill. [Applause.]