Minister of finance Enoch Godongwana
PARLIAMENT - Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's budget speech did not take place on Wednesday, 19 February as expected.
National Assembly Speaker, Thoko Didiza, announced the speech has been moved to March.
The Speaker said parties in the government of national unity are not in tune when it comes to proposals made in Godongwana's speech.
''Before we started this session, we were informed by the leader of government business, that while today we were gathered here for the budget speech to this house, that there has not been agreement in terms of parties in the executive to find one another in proposal of the budget," she said.
Reactions to the announcement were mixed, with many MPs calling for specificity on when the budget will be tabled before the House.
UDM deputy president Nqabayomzi Kwankwa claimed the party was not part of discussions to decide on the delay, saying, "We cannot support a decision that we know nothing about."
"Secondly, we should not treat a proposal from the executive in the nature of a budget as fait accompli. It is only final after parliament has approved it."
"It is therefore logical that if the minister was going to table a proposal that the proposal should have been tabled here for parliament to consider. If parliament does not agree with that process we can arrive at a different outcome together."
Some parliamentarians called for calm heads and understanding of the decision to delay the speech by a month.
BOSA's Mmusi Maimane said the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act compells parliament to stick to a predetermined timeline for the tabling of the budget.
This sentiment was repeated by several parliamentarians who asked for a specific date for the budget to be tabled.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said at a press briefing following that the speech will be tabled on 12 March 2025.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says the budget speech will now be tabled on 12 March 2025. #Budget2025 #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/t7kEB3g6AI
— eNCA (@eNCA) February 19, 2025
He said, "Although the scheduling of the 2025 budget was scheduled for release at 2PM on the 19th of February: a postponement was needed to allow for further deliberations to take place on the budget."
"Cabinet is united in the view that the budget must strike a balance between the interests of the public, economic growth, and fiscal sustainability. Furthermore the budget is produced and presented before the National Assembly according to rules outlined in the Public Finance Management Act."
"Section 27 of the Public Finance Management Act requires that the annual budget be tabled prior to the start of the financial year or in exceptional circumstances on a date as soon as possible after the start of the financial year as the Minister of Finance may determine," he said.
Godongwana announced, "Therefore, further discussions in Cabinet will take place in preparation for a new or amended budget to be tabled on the 12th of March 2025."