KwaZulu-Natal Speaker Hon. Nontembeko Boyce received a warm welcome at Ezinqoleni Secondary School in Ray Nkonyeni Municipality where she spent time with pupils as part of civic education programme. 

Hon. Boyce stressed the importance of career guidance especially to the class of 2025. Students from all grades then participated in a quiz where Hon. Boyce questioned them on general knowledge about South Africa and KZN. 

“Hon. Boyce said, “it is import for us as the legislature to visit our schools such as Ezinqoleni Secondary as part of civic education. What’s more encouraging is that even though the school has a high enrolment, but they were able to get 95,8 % during the 2024 NSC. 

Owethu Nxumalo, Grade 12 pupil who participated in the quiz received a laptop said, “She is grateful for the Speakers visit and thanked the Speaker for visiting eZinqoleni Secondary School and says the laptop will come handy when she goes to university next year.”

Media Advisory

17 February 2025

KWAZULU-NATAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND ENTITIES TO ACCOUNT TO SCOPA ON HOW THEY HANDLE THE PUBLIC PURSE

KwaZulu-Natal provincial government departments and state entities will appear before the Legislature’s Standing Committee of Public Accounts (SCOPA), to report on how they have implemented legislature resolutions relating to how they handle public funds.

Commenting ahead of the hearings scheduled for this week and next week, SCOPA Chair, Hon Tim Brauteseth, said his committee was determined to hold government officials accountable for the expenditure of the public purse and to ensure that funds are not used for self-enrichment.

“Tomorrow we will begin with our follow up hearings with various departments and state entities, and we will conclude these hearings week. SCOPA met with the departments in October 2024, and they were asked to provide concrete responses to an avalanche of concerns raised relating to public expenditure within their departments.” said Hon Brauteseth.

This week’s hearings will take place as follows:

TUESDAY, 18 February 2025

Venue: Ingcuce committee room

09:00 – 09:45    :  Social Development

THURSDAY, 20 February 2025

Venue: Ingcuce committee room

09:00 – 10:30    :  Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

10:30 – 14:15    :  Ithala SOC

FRIDAY, 21 February 2025

Venue: Ingcuce committee room

09:00 – 11:30    :  Education

11:45 – 13:00    :  Public Works

13:40 – 16:00    : Transport

Members of the media are invited to cover the hearings and to indicate if they want to cover the proceedings virtually.

For enquiries: Mr Bongani Tembe 0823272600

For interviews: SCOPA Chair, Hon Tim Brauteseth 0837664657

ISSUED BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE

KZN Speaker Hon. Nontembeko Boyce who is a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Africa Region Budget Committee joined the CPA meeting held in Durban on Thursday, 13 February 2025. 

Deputy Speaker Hon. Mmabatho Tembe joined the delegation for the gala dinner where she welcomed the CPA Africa to KZN. While giving her address she said, “ We appreciate the efforts by the CPA of championingand promoting gender equality, and emancipation of women whilst promoting good governance. We as women leading in legislature across the African Region, we appreciate the strides that have been made to push for gender equality and the drive to have women in leadership positions. It is encouraging to see these efforts not only happening in legislatures but also ensuring there is women representation in forums such as the CPA Africa Region.”

MEDIA ADVISORY

11 February 2025

KWAZULU-NATAL GOVERNMENT PRAISED FOR REDUCING BUDGET DEFICIT BY OVER R4 BILLION IN LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS

The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Finance Portfolio Committee has heaped praises on the provincial government for managing to reduce the projected over expenditure from R9 billion to R5 billion in a short space of time.

Briefing the Finance Portfolio Committee at the legislature today, Finance MEC Francois Rodgers announced that the cost cutting measures implemented by the provincial government at the end of last year had produced handsome dividends.

“When we implemented the cost curtailment measures in November last year our projected over expenditure was R9 billion and we are happy to announce that we have reduced it by R4 billion. We have achieved this by implementing significant reductions in travel expenses, vehicle rentals, catering and functions. We will continue to ensure that we reduce it even further,” said Rodgers.

Members of the committee commended the provincial government and urged it to continue implementing measures aimed at closing the budget shortfall. “This is a major achievement over a short period of time. We know that this is not easy to achieve,” said Finance Portfolio Committee Chair, Hon Mthandeni Dlungwana.

The Finance department also presented its 2025/2026 draft budget, the 2024/2025 third quarter financial, non-financial reports as well as the draft 2025/2026 annual performance plan.

ISSUED BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE

For enquiries : Mr Bongani Tembe 0823272600             

For interviews: Committee Chair, Hon Mthandeni Dlungwana 0823290354

MEDIA ADVISORY

10 February 2025 

ESKOM TO APPEAR BEFORE THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE COGTA PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE TOMORROW

Eskom senior managers will tomorrow appear before the COGTA Portfolio Committee to provide feedback on progress made in addressing challenges faced by the power utility in KwaZulu-Natal. “We have requested Eskom to brief us on the thorny issue of damaged electricity transformers that remain stubbornly high and leave communities without power. Eskom will also share a detailed report on electricity debt owed by municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and how they plan to remedy the situation. We will also share with Eskom issues raised by the public and councilors to get feedback and work towards overall improvement,” said COGTA Chairperson, Hon Marlaine Nair ahead of the meeting.

 The meeting will also be attended by the COGTA department which will, among other things, provide an update on the outstanding backpay for izinduna, Members of the media are invited to cover the meeting which is scheduled as follows:

Date  : 11 February 2025

Time  : 11:30 am

Venue: Chamber, Pietermaritzburg

Link:

ISSUED BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE

For enquiries: Mr Bongani Tembe 0823272600

For interviews: COGTA Chairperson, Hon Marlaine Nair 0726928963

MEDIA ADVISORY

10 February 2025

KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE’S FINANCE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS KEY REPORTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY

The provincial Department of Treasury’s crucial reports, including the 2025/2026 draft budget, will be presented during the KwaZulu-Natal legislature’s finance portfolio committee meeting tomorrow. The department will also present its 2024/2025 third quarter financial and non-financial reports as well as the draft 2025/2026 annual performance plan. “We are in a very important period on our calendar where we process issues of budget and the annual performance plan which are crucial in ensuring that the department executes its mandate of mobilizing and disbursing funds to all provincial government departments,” said Finance Portfolio Committee Chair, Hon Mthandeni Dlungwana.

Members of the media are invited to cover the meeting which is scheduled as follows:

Date  : 11 February 2025

Time  : 8:30 am

Venue: Ingcuce Committee Room

Link: Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 323 637 094 152, Passcode: mg78oc2g

ISSUED BY THE LEGISLATURE

For enquiries  : Mr Bongani Tembe 0823272600             

For interviews: Committee Chair, Hon Mthandeni Dlungwana 0823290354

Media Statement

Date: 30 January 2025

KZN LEGISLATURE’S HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS SESSION IN UTHUKELA DISTRICT

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Human Settlements Portfolio Committee held its annual Stakeholders Engagement Session session in Okhahlamba Local Municipality under the Uthukela District on the 30^th of January.

Hundreds of stakeholders including traditional leaders, local councillors, non-governmental organisations etc attended the engagement session. Senior officials from the Departmetn of Human Settlements made presentations which were later interrogated by members of the portfolio committee led by Hon Dr Andile Biyela.

Members of the public were later given an opportunity raise service delivery matters that affecting their respective areas. A number of issues such as unfinished low cost houses, alleged corruption in the allocation of low cost houses and other issues such as lack of basic services were raised by various stakeholders.

Committee Chairperson Hon Biyela said the committee will follow up on some of the issues raised by the locals to ensure that the department makes necessary interventions.

Ends

Issued by the KZN Legislature Communications Unit