Stats SA looks at provinces' use of cash

Pretoria - The net change in the stock of cash from the provincial revenue funds and donor funds amounted to a cash surplus of R5.051bn for the 2013/2014 fiscal year, Statistics SA announced on Tuesday.

The amount has decreased from R6.555bn in 2012/2013 fiscal year.

The major contributors were the cash receipts from operating activities (R429.942bn), cash payments for operating activities (R394.214bn), purchases of non-financial assets (R30.790bn) and sales of non-financial assets (R113m).

Education (R181.094bn, contributing 42.6%) was the largest contributor to the total cash payments for operating activities and purchases of non-financial assets (functionally classified) of R425.004bn from the provincial revenue funds and donor funds for the 2013/2014 fiscal year.

It was followed by health (R127.093bn or 29.9%), total economic affairs (R46.296bn or 10.9%), total general public services (R22.426bn or 5.3%), housing and community amenities (R19.552bn or 4.6%), social protection (R13.924bn or 3.3%), recreation, culture and religion (R7.125bn or 1.7%), public order and safety (R4.559bn or 1.1%) and environmental protection (R2.935bn or 0.7%).