• Finance MEC Lebogang Maile said the R1.799-billion can be reallocated after departments explain how the funds will be used.

• General Industries Workers Union of South Africa said underspending leaves hospitals understaffed and vulnerable people without support they desperately need.

For many people in Gauteng, survival depends on public hospitals, clinics and social services. When money meant for these services is not spent, people suffer.

Patients wait in broken hospitals. Elderly people lose meals. Community organisations close their doors.

Gauteng Provincial Treasury confirmed that R1.799-billion was not spent in the 2024 to 2025 financial year. The money was returned to the National Treasury. Most of the underspent money came from health and education.

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Finance and economic development MEC Lebogang Maile said the money is not lost. He said it can be reallocated after a review process once departments explain how funds will be used.

The province had a budget of R168.76-billion and spent R166.97-billion. That is 99% of the budget. Health and education alone left R1.041-billion unspent.

Conditional grants made up R381.51-million of the unspent money. The province applied to roll over R295.67-million. But R85.85-million could not be justified and will go back to the national fund.

General Industries Workers Union of South Africa said underspending has deadly consequences. The union said the health department projected an underspend of R725 million. Social development failed to spend R102.9-million.

The union said this leaves hospitals understaffed, organisations unpaid and vulnerable people abandoned. It accused officials of allowing services to collapse while money flows to corrupt contracts.

The provincial treasury said service delivery remains a priority. It said underspent funds will be redirected to critical programmes where allowed by law.

For families waiting for care and support, survival cannot wait for paperwork.