Qnox is a consulting firm with vast expertise in public financial management in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). As
Question:
Qnox is a consulting firm with vast expertise in public financial management in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). As the Lead Economist, you are heading a team of specialists in various areas and have been appointed to assist the National Treasury in their budget reform project. This is a multi-year project which began prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and is meant to be concluded by 2026. One of your tasks is to focus on public financial management and the budgeting process for health sector. You and your team observe that South Africa has a clear, well-structured and transparent process to budget formulation from national to provincial governments. But this transparency does not fully transmit to allocation decisions to the health sector from provincial treasuries. In terms of budget execution, up-to-date data reporting systems, strict enforcement of fiscal rules, and well-developed monitoring processes are good budgetary practices.
Question
Provide a detailed briefing to the Director General of the National Treasury on the main causes of own-revenue leakages in the health sector.