Die finansiële krisis in provinsies en munisipaliteite : verg dit grondwetlike of politieke oplossings? : regte

Die doel van hierdie artikel is om vanuit die staatsreg, in besonder die finansiele staatsreg, die hantering van die finansiele krisisse in provinsies en munisipaliteite krities te bespreek ten einde te bepaal of die oplossings vir die probleme binne die raamwerk van die finansiele staatsreg, die politieke domein of dalk 'n kombinasie van die twee le. Finansiele staatsreg is nog 'n nuwe begrip in Suid-Afrika en het ook raakvlakke met die ekonomie en beleidsoorwegings wat die hantering van finansiele staatsregtelike kwessies beinvloed. Die besteding van staatsbegrotings om grondwetlike verpligtinge na te kom het ekonomiese en politieke implikasies. Hoe hanteer die finansiele staatsreg dit? Die artikel gee 'n oorsig van die inhoud van die finansiele staatsreg soos dit tot nou toe ontwikkel het en beoordeel die hantering van die finansiele krisis in die provinsies en munisipaliteite, met spesifieke verwysing na Limpopo, teen daardie agtergrond. Daar word ook verwys na die hantering van die finansiele krisis in lidlande van die Europese Unie, en alhoewel die omvang daarvan verskil, word gekyk na die wyse van hantering en moontlike lesse wat daaruit geleer kan word. Die regsraamwerk word beskryf en die feitelike situasie word aan die hand daarvan beoordeel. Daar word hoofsaaklik gefokus op primere bronne om inligting oor die hantering van die finansiele krisisse in onderskeidelik Suid-Afrika en die Europese Unie te kry. Ten slotte word daar gekyk na die oplossings wat tans deur die Europese Kommissie in Griekeland geimplementeer word. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die hantering van finansiele krisisse in die provinsies en munisipaliteite in Suid-Afrika 'n gekombineerde benadering verg wat oplossings sowel binne die finansiele staatsreg as deur politieke optrede insluit. The financial crisis in provinces and municipalities : does it require constitutional or political solutions? Financial problems such as underspending, overspending and financial mismanagement in provinces and municipalities in South Africa have become a frequent occurrence. Regular reports by the auditor-general and the national treasury as well as various newspaper articles confirm the seriousness of this situation. The scope of these financial problems, coupled with cases of tender fraud and corruption, justifies the view that there is a serious financial crisis in many provinces and municipalities. The financial sustainability of many municipalities is under severe pressure and inadequate service delivery limits the prospects of economic growth and sustainable development in South Africa. How are these problems addressed? What is the legal framework that governs this situation? Management of public finances includes legal, administrative and financial considerations. How are issues like these dealt with within financial constitutional law? This article deals with the way in which the financial crises in provinces and municipalities are handled from a constitutional law perspective, in particular financial constitutional law, with the aim of determining if solutions for these problems are to be found within financial constitutional law or the political domain or a combination of the two. Financial constitutional law is still a new concept in South Africa. Therefore the discussion also provides a description of this particular part of constitutional law which includes constitutional provisions, specific financial legislation as well as economic and policy considerations that impact on dealing with financial constitutional issues. Spending of government budgets in order to implement constitutional obligations has both economic and political implications. The article provides an overview of financial constitutional law as it has developed since 1994 until today. A critical discussion of the management of the financial crisis in provinces and municipalities is then given against the background of financial constitutional law. Limpopo is used as a case study in view of the scope of the financial crisis there and the topicality of the case.