New KZN finance MEC Francois Rodgers. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers
KwaZulu-Natal’s new finance MEC Francois Rodgers is demonstrating his commitment to ensuring effective spending of the legislature’s budget by closing down their offices on the 9th floor of the Marine Building in Durban.
Rodgers said the closure of the leased offices would save the KZN treasury an estimated R1 million a year. These funds will be directed to other strategic service delivery needs of the department in supporting the province.
Rodgers said his main priority is to stabilise the finances of KZN and that he will work with the provincial treasury team as well as members of the executive council to ensure that strategic decisions are taken to safeguard the provincial fiscus.
“During my consultations with my executive team in the department, I directed that business cannot continue as usual and we need to streamline operations. In this regard, I have decided to close the Durban office – which served as a secondary office – with an annual lease amount of R1 115 786.40, translating into a total value of just over R5 578 000 over five years that we will save,” he said.
“My ministry team will operate from the Pietermaritzburg office and the team will be as prescribed by the Ministerial handbook. My wish is to enhance the transparency of all our decision-making in resource allocation and utilisation and I am prepared to make tough decisions if we are to demonstrate that we mean business when we say we will stabilise the finances in the province with prudent fiscal management and as the KZN treasury, we must lead by example,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers added that he is committed to stabilising spending, eliminating irregular expenditure in departments, attracting foreign investment as well as ensuring accountability and transparency.
The Mercury