Maile re-tables 2025/26 Gauteng budget

This is an increase of R886.6 million from the previously tabled budget of R171.5 billion in March.

Maile outlined the province's financial budget at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

He said the additional funds were made possible through the provincial allocation of unspent funds and revenue over collection from the previous financial year.

"Three weeks ago, there were reports circulating in the media stating that the Gauteng provincial government had underspent by R1.8 billion, and that these underspent funds would be returned to the National Treasury.

"On the 12th of May 2025, the Gauteng provincial treasury held a media briefing to address the concern that the underspent resources would no longer be available, or that they would be lost by the Gauteng provincial government.

"We communicated that whatever funds could not be allocated would revert to the Provincial Revenue Fund and, instructively, that these funds would remain available for re-allocation to programmes and projects, and that they were in no way lost by the Gauteng provincial government.

"We must re-emphasise that service delivery is a top priority for the Gauteng provincial government.

"The re-tabling of the provincial budget informed by the re-injection of the R886.6 million into the fiscus is confirmation of the truthfulness of the assertions that we made in the said media briefing.

"We maintain our commitment to ensuring that underspent funds are re-allocated to crucial programmes and projects to ensure that the residents of our province continue to receive the necessary public services needed to alleviate the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and structural inequalities."

The big share of the budget is expected to go to Education and Health, which will receive R68 billion and R67.1 billion, respectively.

Maile told the legislature that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's reworked budget presented a window of opportunity for Gauteng.

He said the 13 priorities, dubbed the "G13 priorities, “ aim to improve service delivery and amplify the province's commitment to host the G20 Summit in November.

"The 13 priorities of the 7th administration, or challenges that confront the Gauteng province, are: water; cable theft and vandalism; non-functional traffic lights; potholes; crime and lawlessness; the mushrooming of informal settlements; electricity, in particular load shedding and load reduction in our communities; the increase in gender-based violence and femicide; drug abuse; service at our hospitals and clinics; lack of schools; failing infrastructure and deteriorating central business districts; and unemployment."

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