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Overview of the Provincial Revenue and Expenditure (OPRE %u2013 2025/26)development with the focus on Special Economic Zone at East London Industrial Development Zone and Coega SEZ. In 2025/26, the General Public Service sector is allocated R6.608 billion to provide an enabling environment for investment and job creation in the province through broadband as well as focusing on the financial governance and accountability in departments, municipalities and entities. The Social Protection sector is allocated R3.115 billion for the provision of social relief as well as intensifying Gender Based Violence programmes. The Housing and Community Amenities sector is allocated R2.369 billion to provide decent human settlements through integrated planning as well as focusing on rental housing and issuing of title deeds. The Recreation, Culture and Religion sector is allocated R1.079 billion, which will focus on sport, library services, and creative industries development including the support on digital platforms. 5.5 Infrastructure Payments The development of infrastructure is essential for the Eastern Cape to achieve its long-term economic and social objective as it will enhance productivity and competitiveness, alleviating spatial inequality, and encouraging the growth of new job-generating sectors. It is therefore one of the non-negotiable foundations of transformation and inclusive growth as infrastructure construction creates jobs and promotes broad-based black economic empowerment, further aligning with the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP). The mandate for infrastructure delivery is guided by the constitution particularly in its commitment to socio-economic rights, as it emphasizes the importance of infrastructure and the provision of essential services (including but not limited to; rights to Health care, food, water, Environment, Basic Education and Housing), emphasizes cooperative governance while also instituting necessary restrictions to maintain a balance of power, facilitating improved service delivery and better governance outcomes in South Africa The period up to and including the 6th administration, the focus on provincial infrastructure had shown a necessary bias towards expanded access to quality basic services (social infrastructure) thus addressing the legacy of apartheid, which had previously left the rural regions underdeveloped and the urban economy stressed. However, in the 7th administration, it is necessary to maintain a balance between social and economic infrastructure, more so since focussed infrastructure investment will underpin the growth agenda. The portion of provincial infrastructure allocation that currently contributes to economic infrastructure development is mostly related to agricultural and roads infrastructure in which the province needs to be supported going forward. In terms of agriculture the focus has been mostly on support to small holder farmers, yet there is a requirement for a greater emphasis towards clarity in the agricultural value chain with commercialization and the prioritization towards commodities with the highest potential for agriculture expansion and economic growth, being emphasized. Similarly in the roads sector the prioritization of roads that lead to agricultural processing and exporting as well as access roads to tourism that would enhance economic development objectives needs to be lifted. Further, it is essential that the province puts plans in place to move from the provincial road%u2019s ratio of 90:10 unsurfaced versus surfaced respectively in favour of surfaced roads. The Eastern Cape Province in the 7th administration will continue with the emphasis of the implementation of the National Infrastructure Plan 2050 which seeks to clarify the contributions of 80