South Africa: National Council of Provinces Policy Debates on Budget Votes this Week

The Constitution empowers Parliament to do this so that the people, through their democratically elected representatives, can have a say on budget choices, which have a major impact on all of us 

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 6, 2018,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The National Council of Provinces’ policy debates on seven budget votes this week provide another opportunity for Parliament and the people to interact with the budget.
On 16 February, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced government’s intensive programme to deliver services to the people of South Africa in his State of the Nation Address. On 21 February, the Minister of Finance delivered the Budget Speech and tabled the Fiscal Framework, the Appropriation Bill and the Division of Revenue Bill. These gave details of government’s spending plans and revenue collection. Parliament makes the final budget decisions about these. The Constitution empowers Parliament to do this so that the people, through their democratically elected representatives, can have a say on budget choices, which have a major impact on all of us. It is only then that Ministers can spend the money, as budgeted.

The National Assembly has already debated and made decisions about the budget votes of individual government entities and has approved the Appropriation Bill. The National Council of Provinces is scheduled to conclude its policy debates on budget votes in the coming weeks and then to consider the Appropriation Bill on 28 June. This week’s policy debates all take place in the National Council of Provinces Chamber from 14.00, today (Tuesday), on Wednesday and on Thursday, as detailed below.

*Tuesday, 5 June – One debate on Vote 37 (Arts and Culture) and Vote 40 (Sports and Recreation), separate policy debate on Vote 35 (Transport)
*Wednesday, 6 June – One debate on Vote 24 (Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) and Vote 39 (Rural Development and Land Reform)
*Thursday, 7 June – separate policy debates on Vote 29 (Mineral Resources), Vote 38 (Human Settlements)

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.