KZN government departments to pay Izinduna from own budgets

The budgets of Provincial government departments are to be cut down to pay the salary bill for izinduna.

Thousands of izinduna who still hold power in rural areas have been pushing the government to pay them since February 2014 when President Jacob Zuma signed a proclamation saying they should be paid.

Delivering her budget speech at the provincial legislature on Tuesday, Finance MEC Belinda Scott said attempts to get the national government to pay for this mandate had failed and provincial government will start paying izinduna.

However, opposition parties have questioned why other departments have to be the ones paying.

DA caucus leader Francois Rodgers questioned why the provincial government was footing the bill when the proclamation was signed by the national government without any consultations with the provincial government.

Head of KZN Treasury, Simiso Magagula said the province was left with no choice but to start paying the izinduna.