The National Assembly on Wednesday approved Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's revised budget for 2010/11.

The adjustments budget provides for an additional R7,2-billion in vote allocations.

A contingency reserve of R6-billion was set aside in the main February budget.

Budget spending projections also provide for about R3,6-billion in underspending at a national level, including declared savings.

Offsetting this R9,6-billion available on the main budget against the R7,2-billion in the adjustments budget, the total estimated level of spending decreases by R2,5-billion, from a budgeted R818,1-billion to an adjusted R815,7-billion.

The adjustments budget includes, among others, R1,8-billion in rollovers arising from commitments related to unspent balances in 2009/10, and R2,3-billion to cover higher remuneration costs in national departments.

Some R320 million goes to occupation-specific dispensation salary adjustments in the justice and constitutional development department, the National Prosecuting Authority and Legal Aid SA, and R363,4-million for unforeseeable and unavoidable expenditure associated with natural disasters and the outbreak of disease.

A further R100-million is to scale up HIV/ Aids prevention, R200-million for the South African National Defence Force for activities during the 2010 World Cup, and R181,3-million for contractual penalties incurred by Denel Saab Aerostructures.

Some R396,3-million is refunded to various departments for moneys paid directly into the National Revenue Fund from department-specific activities.

The revised provincial allocations include R4,2-billion added to the provincial equitable share, including R3,8-billion for higher salary and housing allowance costs, and R350-million to cover the cost of occupation-specific dispensation agreements in health.