East Cape funding boost hailed

Province’s R54bn equitable share for schools, health, farming

DOING more with less. While it was announced yesterday that the Eastern Cape would get R54billion in the provincial equitable share out of a R1.35-trillion national budget for 2015-16, starting in April, stakeholders were upbeat about the province’s share of the budget pie.

The province has the third-highest provincial equitable share allocation after KwaZuluNatal and Gauteng.

Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane was quite excited about the province’s budget allocation.

“The nine-point plan positions the Eastern Cape in terms of reviving agriculture and rural development.

“Overall it is a good budget. We have to be prudent and avoid wasting,” he said.

-Siya Miti and Cindy Preller