Gauteng govt reveals it has spent 83% of its annual budget

The Gauteng government has provided an update on its finances, revealing that it has spent 82% of its annual budget so far.

The province’s projected budget stood at about R175 billion for the current financial year, which concludes at the end of April.

In 2025, the Gauteng government faced criticism for under-spending, with some funds being returned to treasury.

At a media briefing in Johannesburg on Sunday, finance MEC Lebogang Maile emphasised that the provincial treasury is focused on ensuring the budget is effectively used to improve residents’ lives.

“As indicated, the Gauteng Provincial Government entered the 2025/2026 financial year with a main budget of R172.3 billion, which was later adjusted to R175.6 billion and adopted by the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

“As at the end of January 2026, the overall expenditure for the Gauteng Provincial Government stood at R144.4 billion, which represents 82.2% of the adjusted budget as departments accelerated spending to meet the service delivery needs of people in the province.”