Where you live decides where your provincial tax money goes - IOL

In the race between education and health, education leads in every province for government money, education leads in every province.

South Africa’s provinces spent more than three-quarters of their budgets on education and healthcare last year, but where you live makes a significant difference to how that money is divided.

Statistics South Africa’s latest provincial government finance data shows education and health absorbed R578.8 billion, or 75.8%, of the R763.4 billion spent in 2024/25.

The money was spent across 120 provincial departments responsible for services ranging from schools and hospitals to economic development, public safety and social protection.

“On average, that’s 13 departments per province, responsible for functions ranging from education and health to economic development, public order & safety, and social protection,” said Statistics South Africa in its recent publication.

Education received the larger share in every province, although the balance varied sharply.

“In the race between education and health, education leads in every province. But this was not always the case. A similar analysis using 2019/2020 data showed health as the largest spending category in Gauteng and the Western Cape that year. Since then, education expenditure has overtaken health in these two provinces,” says the agency.

Gauteng was the biggest spender overall at R167.1 billion and allocated the most funding to education and health.

“This is not surprising, as Gauteng had the largest population in 2024, estimated at 15,7 million individuals. Northern Cape, with the smallest population, spent the least overall,” says Statistics South Africa.

The split in spending among various provinces.

Limpopo devoted almost half of all provincial spending to education, the highest proportion in the country, while less than 30% went to health. Gauteng was at the other extreme, splitting its two biggest spending priorities almost evenly, with 39.8% going to education and 38.7% to health.

As a result, the same two services dominate provincial budgets everywhere, but their relative importance changes substantially depending on the population being served.

Statistics South Africa points to age as one factor. Limpopo has the country’s youngest population, with a median age of 26, while the Western Cape has the oldest at 31, followed by Gauteng at 30. The national median is 28.

Gauteng and the Western Cape also allocated the largest proportions of their spending to health, at 38.7% and 35.9% respectively. Limpopo spent 29.3%, while the Northern Cape recorded the lowest share at 28.2%.

The divide is particularly visible when education is considered. After Limpopo’s 48.1%, the Eastern Cape allocated 45.6% of its expenditure to education and Mpumalanga 43.1%. The Western Cape allocated the smallest share, at 37.7%.