Gauteng’s health budget has received a R4.3bn boost in this year’s budget compared with the allocation for 2025/26, according to economic development MEC Lebogang Maile’s provincial budget.
Maile tabled a R179.2bn provincial budget for the 2026/27 financial year on Tuesday, which he said was aimed at strengthening service delivery, expanding infrastructure and investment, and driving economic growth in Gauteng.
The budget allocation for the provincial health department increased from R66bn in 2025/26 to R70.3bn, marking the largest increase among provincial departments.
Maile said this was to strengthen the public health system, expand access and improve the quality of care.
“The funding will support maternal and child health, the Ideal Clinic and Ideal Hospital programmes, improve emergency medical response times, the integration of mental health services at community level, digital health systems and electronic records, as well as stronger HIV and TB interventions,” he said.
Gauteng’s education department’s budget rose from R69.6bn last year to R70.9bn in 2026/27.
Maile said funding was expected to support programmes such as early childhood development, learner performance initiatives, school safety and scholar transport.
The social sector comprising health, education and social development were the biggest beneficiaries of the total budget over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework [MTEF].
“It is for this reason that we are determined to anchor discipline in how we manage the resources of the province, the bulk of which is allocated to services that our people engage with daily,” Maile said.
The social development department received R5.6bn in 2026/2027.
“The funding will go towards skills development for vulnerable groups, the provincial homelessness strategy, food security interventions, Bana Pele, child and youth care centres, community prevention services, substance use disorder treatment, aftercare services, and upgrades to state-owned facilities,” said Maile.
Several other departments received modest increases in their allocations. The budget for roads and transport increased from R9.7bn to R10.2bn, while economic development saw its allocation rise from R1.6bn to R1.8bn.
However, not all departments had increases.
The allocation for human settlements declined from R5.8bn in 2025/26 to R5.5bn, while community safety’s budget dropped slightly from R2.4bn to R2.3bn.
Maile said the budget continued to prioritise frontline services but it is strained.
“The composition of our budget reflects the national reality that provinces fund frontline services, which are largely driven by national transfers.
“We must be honest about our fiscal reality and the nature of obligations that narrow our room to manoeuvre. For example, the province has already paid R9.3bn against the principal e-toll debt of R20bn, and R4.6bn is required for the next instalment in June 2026.
“In the last two years of the 2026 MTEF, a further R6.2bn must be paid. These are consequential amounts that will have a significant implication on how we plan and execute,” Maile said.
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