GAUTENG residents have high expectations of the budget speech today. They expect relief on education costs, job creation and unemployment grants and better health benefits.

Most of Pretoria residents share the same sentiments on their expectations of the provincial budget today.

Natasha Cronje, who is a law student at University of South Africa, says more money should go into road infrastructure and education. She says it is dangerous to drive on some of the city's roads because of potholes. She thinks that the government should create more jobs even if they are just temporary. Text books and school fees are very expensive, more money should go into education so that everybody can afford to further their studies.

Louise Matzopoulos says she does not have much expectations "because the government never listens to us. They should create more jobs and fix the roads."

Eureka van der Merwe says she wants the government to create more jobs. "I am a housewife and I have been looking for a job but there are none. I think the government should build more houses for the poor and every poor child should get free education."

Trevor Ndou from Diepkloof says the government should allocate more funds for health. "There was a project where patients were given cards with their history and everything in their files. They stopped it. Clinics do not have enough medicines. They must hire more doctors and nurses as people stand in queues for long."

Headman Mbambani, homeless, says the government must create more jobs for people. "When Mbeki was in power they promised us an unemployment grant but it never materialised. We have been retrenched because we have no skills. We need skills training for adults who did not complete school so that we may get better jobs."

Thokozani Ndlovu from Dobsonville says they must create more jobs. The unemployment figures are too high. It is painful to see skilled people queuing at the side of the road for piece jobs. The government must do something to meet them halfway."

Lillian Vilakazi from Parktown says they must reduce general education costs and school fees. "They are too high and we are struggling to cope.

"Electricity tariffs are killing us already. The proposed hike is too much. What about the people in the townships who do not work. What are they going to do?"

Zodwa Radebe of Thembalihle informal settlement, in Lenasia says she hopes the budget will focus on electricity.

"My five children who are going to school are given homework on things shown on television but they can't do them because we don't have electricity at home," says Radebe.

Joyce Sithole of Thembalihle of Lenasia, south of Joburg, called for job creation.

"I have three children to feed and do not have a job. The MEC must do something about job opportunities," says Sithole.

Ilyaas Naidoo of Lenasia, says more money should be channelled towards development of communities.

"We have potholes all over the place here and the police service is poor. Every time you call them, they say there are no vans," he says.

Carlin Lebardie of Ennerdale says: "No one ever talks about improving the security industry but people today trust us more than they trust the police."

Lebardie also requested that something be done about potholes in his area.

Patrick Sibiya of Ramaphosa informal settlement, Ekurhuleni, called for more money to be allocated for housing and creation of job opportunities.

"We live in shacks and every time it rains the water runs into our shacks," Sibiya says.

Sibiya has been unemployed for the past five years and has five children to take care of.

Azarius Langa, also of Ramaphosa informal settlement cried for more jobs in the province.

"We are not working here. We wish the MEC does something which will help us to be relocated to decent houses," said Langa.

Abdulah de Jager of Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni says that his neighbourhood had no recreational facility.

"If we had more recreational facilities our crime levels would drop sharply," says De Jager.

Sherees Plaatjies of Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni has matric but cannot find a job.

"I wish something can be done in our province to create job opportunities and give young people bursary schemes which would enable them to go to university," says Plaatjies.

She has been unemployed for the past five years despite passing her matric.

Panda Makhanya of Sebokeng says people want a community library, streets lights and houses.

"We voted for them, they must give us houses and development. We want every street to be tarred.

"There is no development at Vaal but in other areas there are developments."

Paulinah Molemohi says the government must fix the roads and replace the Zone 7 monument of the early '90s when a killer shot 44 people dead at a night vigil. The stone is not visible to passing traffic.

"We also want sports facilities and houses.

"We are tired of their empty promises. We also want big screens where we can watch the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

"They must also put streets lights in our area because it is dark at night."

Lucky Mthunzi says they would be glad if the government could create jobs for people in the Vaal.

Mthunzi says they would like to see tarred roads and more houses.

"Many people in this area are not working and they do not have houses. Most of us are staying in the shacks. They must do something for us as they promised during the elections."

Polinah Motsapi Mofokeng says her neighbours want title deeds, tarred roads, electricity and water drainage.

"Some of the people are still using pit latrines in the 21st century. We do not have water; we share one tap.

"We do not have title deeds but we own the houses.

"They must not promise us something that they cannot deliver."