Political parties debated the education budget shortfall that will lead to over 2400 teacher job losses next year in the Western Cape Legislature on Thursday.
The urgent request from the GOOD Party’s Brett Herron, was granted by Speaker Daylin Mitchell.
Herron said he believes it was the Western Cape Government's decision to rather spend money on dabbling in crime prevention, than cover the R3.8 billion wage shortfall over the next three years.
“A quick check of the provincial budgets reveals the truth of these matters,” he aid.
“First, education and health services have been defunded by R2.7 billion since 2019 to pay for a Safety Plan that’s had no impact on quarterly crime statistics.
“That’s despite the fact that dealing with crime is a national government competency.”
Herron suggested that making minor reductions to the R5 billion allocated to its policing initiatives and the R21.8 billion allocated to “innovation” over the next three years could save jobs.
“With better choices, no teacher's posts need be lost.”
Finance MEC Deidré Baartman pointed out that the province was not immune to the fiscal challenges of the country.
Baartman explained that out of a R84 billion rand provincial budget, health and education received the most funding, equating to 72.85% of the budget.
She saidthat despite implementing a drastic R2.5 billion budget cut, including on administration, curriculum and infrastructure, the department still faced a R3.8 billion budget shortfall over the next three years.
However, spokesperson for the ANC Western Cape, Khalid Sayed, begged to differ saying that only 37% of the provincial budget goes to education, compared to a national average of 41%.
Sayed concluded by saying that children deserve better.
“They deserve classrooms where they can learn and thrive, not crowded spaces that stifle their potential. Education is not a privilege — it is a fundamental right”
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde defended the province's decision to redirect 1% of the education and health budget to the province's safety plan.
“We have children being shot every day, and citizens murdered, of course we must take responsibility.”
Winde added that the financial crisis, brought on by national budget allocations, dates back to 2020.
“It’s not only in this province where teachers posts are at risk, even in the Eastern Cape there is a R600 000 million shortage, that could mean that in the last three months of the year, teachers won't get paid.
“It's totally unacceptable, each province has this problem.
“On 2 October, we will be having a dispute and we will fight for every single nurse, teacher, police officer.
“They decide to make this a political fight, when this is about our province getting our fair share.”