Social benefits, payroll drives up government's spending
According to reports by Business Live, Fin24 and Business Report, social benefits, grants and payments to public servants are swallowing a huge part of the R792-billion spent by government on operating expenses in the 2010-11 financial year according to figures released by Statistics South Africa.
The figures assess government's cash payments across seven categories: compensation to employees; purchases of goods and services; interest; subsidies; grants; social benefits and "other" payments. Grants worth R468,9-billion were paid, followed by social benefits of R91,4-billion and compensation to employees of R87-billion, Business Live, Fin24 and Business Report report.
For More:
- Business Live Social grants weigh heavily on government coffers
- Fin24: Social grants weighing on govt coffers
- Business Report: Social grants drag on state coffers
- Statistics South Africa: Stats Online
