By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
23 July 2025- The National Assembly (NA) said it has, this afternoon during its plenary sitting approved the 2025 Appropriations Bill. The NA said the Appropriation Bill is a key part of the national budget.
The NA spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo said it outlines how government funds will be shared among various departments. Mothapo said Section 27(1) of the Public Finance Management Act requires the Minister of Finance to table the annual budget for a financial year in the NA before the start of that financial year or, in exceptional circumstances, on a date as soon as possible after the start of the financial year.
“The National Budget for the 2025/26 financial year, including the Appropriation Bill was tabled on 21 May 2025 by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana and the Bill was subsequently referred to the appropriations committee for consideration, and to report back to the NA.
“The 2025 budget focuses on reducing government debt, supporting the poor and vulnerable, improving public services such as health and education and stimulating job creation and rebuilding infrastructure,” he said.
Mothapo further said the total government expenditure for the year will amount to R2.3 trillion. He added that of this R1.17 trillion is allocated directly to national departments including the departments of health, education, and police.
“R1.1 trillion will fund social grants, provincial and municipal transfers, and debt servicing. Even though the Bill proposes the allocation of resources across the national sphere of government, 72.2 percent of these allocations go into transfers and subsidies.
“These are transfers to provinces, municipalities, public corporations and other non-profit making entities. An additional R180 billion has been allocated over the next three years for infrastructure upgrades, public servants’ salaries, extension of COVID-19 relief grants and hiring unemployed doctors and teachers and improving public transport,” said Mothapo.
He said in processing the Bill, Section 4(4)(c) of the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act requires the committees on appropriations of both Houses of Parliament to consult with the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC). Mothapo said in addition to the FFC commenting on the Bill, the committee also invited the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) and government departments for comments.
“In its comments the FFC cautioned against the underfunding of departments such as trade, science and small business. The PBO called for stronger alignment between spending and outcomes like poverty reduction and economic growth.
“It further called on Parliament, along with oversight bodies, to not only look at spending to find ways to save money, but also check if different institutions are doing the same work. If so, laws creating those overlaps should be removed,” he said.
Mothapo said the approval of this Bill is important as it authorises government spending for the upcoming financial year, to ensure that critical services and government operations are not disrupted. He said the Bill will be sent to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence, and if approved, then to the President for signing into law.
“It is then that departments can start spending in accordance with the Act,” said Mothapo.
The Guardian 