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The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the findings of the Open Budget Survey, which ranks South Africa as the country with the best budget process in the world in 2010. This survey is an internationally benchmarked comparative measure of budget transparency, and is deserved recognition of Minister Gordhan’s fine work at the Treasury.

In our Cabinet Report Card last year, we awarded Minister Gordhan 9 out of 10, our highest score of any member of the Zuma cabinet, and praised the fact that his department is a shining example of clean government. In Director-General of the National Treasury, Lesetja Kganyago, and SARS Commissioner, Oupa Mashula, Minister Gordhan has assembled a team that is performing admirably; the Finance Ministry deserves this award, and other national departments have a great deal to learn from them.

I will tomorrow release the DA’s own alternative budget. While South Africa may perform exceptionally in terms of the transparency of our budget process, I do not believe that we always make the right decisions about resource allocation. We will present our own views about the country’s budget priorities tomorrow, and I will invite Minister Gordhan, President Zuma and the general public to review its contents.