From left: clockwise, Martin Meyer, MEC for the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, and Nomagugu Simelane, MEC for Health. Bottom left: Sipho Hlomuka, MEC for Education, and Siboniso Duma, MEC for Transport and Human Settlements.
Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature will continue to scrutinise, deliberate, and debate the budgets of each of the provincial government departments until Tuesday.
According to the legislature, passing the budget is a fundamental requirement carried out that grants the executive the legal authority to spend public funds and continue running the state. Additionally, the budget decides how around R168 billion is distributed locally.
The KZN Department of Health (DoH) has a R60.2 billion budget. Nomagugu Simelane, MEC for Health, spoke of ushering in a new era for Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital with R45 million in funding for critical posts to rebuild specialist services across several disciplines to reduce surgical waiting lists.
Simelane said the department will reduce the medico-legal burden by improving the medico-legal unit. In the 2025/26 financial year, the department's interventions saved R201 million through negotiated settlements and improved litigation management. The department also intends to improve ambulance services.
