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The Standing Committee on Appropriations adopted its report on the 2023 Appropriations Bill as part of a process started by the Minister of Finance in the National Assembly during his budget speech.
 
The committee welcomed that the Bill proposed a total vote allocation of R1.077 trillion for the 2023/24 financial year, excluding direct charges against the National Revenue Fund. The committee is of the view that this Bill is crucial if the government is to continue to deliver the required basic services to South Africans.
 
The committee further notes that 74 per cent of the proposed vote allocations goes towards transfers and subsidies. These are transfers to provinces, municipalities, public corporations and other non-profit-making entities mainly for the payment of social grants, conditional grants allocations and transfers to public entities, university subsidies and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
 
The committee recommended that the national Department of Transport must intervene where provincial and local governments have limited human capital or financial capacity to deal with the deteriorating state of provincial and local roads.
 
The committee further expressed concerns about the state of some of municipal water and sanitation services. The committee calls on the Department of Water and Sanitation to intervene directly in those municipalities needing urgent attention.

The committee further wishes to emphasise how important it is that government departments are efficient and effective in their use of appropriated funds in line with the principles set out in Section 195 of the Constitution and other relevant legislation.
 
The committee welcomes the valuable contributions and advice received from civil society during public hearings when processing the Appropriation Bill.
 
The committee also recommended that the Minister of Finance must ensure that Parliament’s appropriated funds through the Appropriation Bill are utilised in the manner envisaged in the Constitution and the Bill. In addition, there should be compliance with all laws and regulations governing the country’s public finances.
 
The adopted committee report on the Appropriation Bill will be debated in the National Assembly.

Issued by Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Appropriations, Sfiso Buthelezi