THE National Assembly is set to hold a highly anticipated sitting to vote on the controversial budget, which has already caused divisions in the Government of National Unity (GNU) on Wednesday, 2 April.
The outcome will determine whether government's financial plans move forward.
This will be the first Budget Vote under the collective governance of the GNU.
Passing the budget in Parliament is a critical step in ensuring government operations continue smoothly.
In Mzansi, the budget is presented by the minister of finance and must go through several stages before it's approved.
Here's how the process works and what is required for its passage:
- Presentation and Debate
- The Minister of Finance tables the budget in Parliament, outlining government spending, taxation, and economic policies for the financial year. This is followed by debates where political parties scrutinize the budget, propose amendments, or express their approval or opposition.
- Approval by the National Assembly
- For the budget to pass, it must be approved by a simple majority (50% + 1) of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the National Assembly. South Africa's National Assembly has 400 MPs, meaning at least 201 votes are needed for approval.
- Negotiations and Political Deals
- If the ruling party does not have an outright majority, it must secure additional votes from other parties. This often involves negotiations, trade-offs, or agreements on policy adjustments. In 2025, for example, the ANC reached a deal with ActionSA to scrap the VAT increase in exchange for their support in passing the budget.
- Consideration by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP)After passing in the National Assembly, the budget moves to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), which represents South Africa's nine provinces. The NCOP reviews the budget and provides recommendations, but the National Assembly has the final say.
- Presidential Approval
- Once both houses have processed the budget, it is sent to the President for assent, making it law. If the budget is rejected, the government must revise and reintroduce it. A failure to pass the budget could lead to a government shutdown or even early elections if Parliament is unable to agree on financial allocations.
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