South Africa’s Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced a US$197.7 billion expenditure on the country’s social sectors of health, education and social development during his 2022 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement as read in parliament in Cape Town.
Presenting his mini budget in the House on Wednesday, the minister noted that “social wage” funding would take up 59.2 percent of the consolidated non-interest spending.
“This will take up the biggest share of the budget in support of poor households and the most vulnerable in our society,” Godongwana said.
According to the minister, additional fund allocations would allow the Ministry of Health to address backlogs and other health services.
The public health sector experienced two years of severe strain from the Covid-19 pandemic and disruptions to routine healthcare services, he noted.
“As the immediate pressure from the pandemic eases, Covid -19 vaccinations are being integrated into general health services from separate vaccination sites,” he said.
The sector would over the coming year “refocus on other core health services and address accumulated backlogs,” the minister said.
NM/jn/APA