Tito Mboweni: No more cash for the State Capture Commission
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni allocated R63 million for the State Capture Commission in October 2020 and had made it clear that this was to finish its work
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is closing the money tap for the State Capture Commission. Mboweni has announced that he will not be authorising any more money for the commission, which has already received the green light for a three month extension.
The finance minister made the comments during a virtual question and answer session which followed his Budget Speech on Wednesday, 24 February 2021.
National Treasury allocated an additional R63 million to the commission in 2020. Mboweni said they made it clear then that was the amount the commission would have to solely rely on to finally conclude its work.
MONEYWEB
Expected to outline steps to revive an economy.
By Prinesha Naidoo
23 Feb 2021 13:35
Image: GCIS
South African Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is expected to outline steps to revive an economy ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic while halting a deterioration in public finances in Wednesdayâs budget.
These charts show what to look out for as he presents the fiscal framework for the next three years.
The minister will probably detail plans to pay for Covid-19 vaccines. While the Treasury estimates it could cost as much as R24 billion ($1.6 billion) to immunise 40 million people, or around two-thirds of South Africaâs population, itâs unlikely to bear all the costs.
The health department has promised that government will cover the Covid-19 vaccine costs of uninsured healthcare workers.
South Africa will receive only 1.5 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be enough to vaccinate 725 000 of the country s 1.2 million healthcare workers.
Minerals Council South Africa head of health Dr Thuthula Balfour said they plan to vaccinate 80 000 people a day.
The Department of Health has given an undertaking that government will cover the cost of Covid-19 vaccinations for uninsured healthcare workers to ensure that all are prioritised.
According to the department, all healthcare workers – insured and uninsured – will be prioritised in phase one of the inoculation rollout plan.
Ziyaad Douglas, Gallo Images
– to fund vaccines according to Director-General Dondo Mogajane.
Mogajane says Treasury is engaging directly with vaccine manufacturers, cutting out middlemen to reduce the risk of corruption.
The cost of vaccinating about 40 million South Africans is estimated at between R20 billion and R24 billion.
National Treasury s Director-General Dondo Mogajane has maintained it has the funds to secure vaccines and that finance won t be an issue for South Africans to receive doses.
Mogajane was speaking during a virtual engagement between Treasury officials and the South African National Editors Forum on Wednesday. If any of the manufacturers come tomorrow and say, We need the money, we will be able to pay, said Mogajane.
3 Min Read
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African pharmaceutical company Biovac Institute has been contracted by the government to import, store and distribute coronavirus vaccines for frontline healthcare workers, a letter from the National Treasury shows.
A health worker walks between beds at a temporary field hospital set up by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Khayelitsha township near Cape Town, South Africa, July 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
Healthcare experts have urged the government to share a detailed plan on vaccine rollout across the country.
In the letter written by Director-General Dondo Mogajane to non-profit organisation Corruption Watch (CW) and seen by Reuters, Treasury has given the Department of Health approval to deviate from normal procurement processes for the transportation, storage and distribution of the vaccines in the short term.