• The KwaZulu-Natal government tabled a R168.2-billion budget and promised that no provincial department will face budget cuts this financial year.

• Most of the money goes to education, health and social development, which together take more than 80% of the provincial budget.

Families who rely on public schools, clinics and social services will see most of the province's money spent on these services this year.

KwaZulu Natal finance MEC Francois Rodgers announced a R168.2-billion budget for the 2026 to 2027 financial year on Tuesday.

Rodgers said no provincial department will face budget cuts.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

Instead, the province plans to stabilise its finances by reducing its contingency reserve and using an extra R1.7-billion in conditional grants.

Education and health received some of the biggest increases.

The Department of Education will receive an extra R2.5-billion over the medium term to deal with salary pressures and to raise Grade R teachers' pay.

Rodgers said Grade R is now part of compulsory basic education.

"Grade R is now part of the compulsory phase of basic education, and the teachers should be remunerated accordingly.

"These funds are, therefore, added to our budget to progressively increase these teachers' salaries," said Rodgers.

The Department of Health will also receive an additional R1.4-billion each year to deal with staff shortages and unpaid bills.

Education, health and social development together make up more than 80.5% of the provincial budget.

The province has also set aside R641.3-million to repair roads damaged by floods in 2024 and 2025.

Another R505.3-million will go to education infrastructure.

The government also allocated R70.1-million to the Teacher Assistants Programme to help create jobs.

Rodgers said early retirement packages for workers aged between 55 and 59 could help save money.

He said this could save the province R151-million in the 2026 to 2027 financial year.