THE Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo said it's concerned that the province has returned over a billion rand in unspent funds from their allocated budget to the National Treasury in the 2022/23 financial year.
This is while residents continue to lack proper service delivery.
DA spokeswoman for provincial treasury, Lindy Wilson, alleges that the education department returned R523.3 million, health returned R570.5 million, Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure returned R 226.1 million, and agriculture returned R98.7 million.
"Social development returned R72.4 million, legislature returned R45.1 million, transport and community safety returned R40.7 million, the premier's office returned R16 million, treasury returned R14 million and economic development, environment and tourism returned R8.4 million," she said.
Wilson said the funds could have provided opportunities to improve schools, hospitals and clinics, fund social development programmes and address infrastructure and vacancy challenges in the province.
She said they will write to Premier Stan Mathabatha for more details and clarity.
"We are extremely concerned by the slow pace of spending given that the funds could have been used to develop the province and address different challenges across the different departments," said Wilson.
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She said the failure to spend available funds is unacceptable and a slap in the face to Limpopo residents who continue to suffer as a result of inadequate services.
Provincial government spokesman Ndavhe Ramakuela said that the provincial government has not returned the figures stated to the National Treasury.
"In the case of 2022/2023 financial year, the provincial government only surrendered R122 million to National Treasury arising out of the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme and other smaller projects which only constitute 0,15% of the provincial budget of over R70 billion," he said.
Ramakuela said the general underspending for 2022/23 was 1.9% of the appropriated budgets, within the National Treasury norm of 2% and an improvement from 2021/22.
"The province has been doing well in terms of spending. It has received an additional R250 million this year for human settlement grants because the catch-up programme has been bearing fruit," he said.
