By Zukile Majova
- Health gets R70.3-billion for hospitals, clinics and emergency services while education receives R70.9-billion for Gauteng’s schools and early childhood programmes.
- Gauteng created more than 250,000 jobs in 2025 and will invest R36.4-billion in infrastructure including schools, hospitals, housing and roads.
Gauteng Finance MEC Lebogang Maile tabled the province’s R179.2-billion budget for 2026/2027 during Human Rights Month. The budget is part of a three-year spending plan worth R549.3-billion.
Maile said the government wants residents to experience their constitutional rights through better services and economic opportunities.
Health and education take the biggest shares. The Gauteng Department of Health will get R70.3-billion for hospitals, clinics and emergency medical services. The Gauteng Department of Education will receive R70.9-billion for schools, early childhood development and learner support.
“Gauteng remains the engine of South Africa’s economy, producing more than R2.4-trillion in economic output every year,” Maile said. The province expects economic growth of 2.1% in 2026, slightly above the national forecast.
More than 250,000 jobs were created in Gauteng in 2025, with trade and construction among the top sectors. But unemployment remains a serious problem. Millions of residents are still looking for work, and many families depend on social support and community feeding programmes.
The province plans to invest R36.4-billion in infrastructure over the medium term. This covers building and fixing schools, hospitals, housing and roads.
Businesses pledged R312.5-billion in investment at the Gauteng Investment Conference in 2025. Some of these projects have already started and are expected to help grow the economy and create more jobs.
Gauteng still has to pay billions of rands to settle the old e-toll debt, which adds to the pressure on provincial finances. Maile said the government must manage its money carefully while protecting the services residents rely on.
Pictured above: Gauteng Finance MEC Lebogang Maile.
Image source: Lebogang Maile/X
