accountability

The 2009/10 National Budget was presented by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel on 11 February 2009 in Cape Town.

SANGONeT invited various NGOs to comment on specific issues in the budget relevant to their core work and areas of interest.

Most NGOs acknowledge the unique challenges that the Minister of Finance faced in preparing this year’s budget as a result of the global financial crisis and its impact on the South African economy.

The PBC cautiously welcomes the Minister of Finance’s budget speech. We are in the process of studying the details of the proposals and will issue a further more detailed statement due course.

The test by which today’s statement must be judged is to what extent it takes forward the progressive policy proposals in last week’s State of the Nation speech and those of the ANC Election Manifesto. While we welcome the Minister’s commitments to prioritise job creation and poverty reduction, many detailed proposals fall short of what is required.

"Blanket measures are not the solution" - Trevor Manuel tramples on the rights of South Africa's paraplegics and quadriplegics

The QuadPara Association of South Africa, one of the country's most powerful service provider and disability rights organisation, has reacted angrily at Trevor Manuel's feeble concession for persons with disabilities in his Budget Speech on 11 February 2009.

This year’s budget speech by the Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel, was made amidst much uncertainty. The global financial crisis and the political tremors in both government and the ruling party did not provide an ideal backdrop for such a major policy announcement.

Manuel sets the agenda but will the ANC follow?

Budgeting in uncertain times

The 2009 budget was presented amid heightened public discourse over economic policy and service delivery. The central thesis of the debate has centred on the extent to which the ANC after Polokwane will vehemently push for a more leftist economic policy characterised by increased social spending and how effectively government has used funds to alleviate poverty, reduce income inequality, create more jobs and delivery of basic services.

Seize the moment

NGOs are urged to act swiftly to influence and monitor the ways in which the budgets of key departments are used.

Consensus emerging from business and government sectors a day after what is probably Trevor Manuel’s swansong budget is that the budget is as good as it can be, given the overarching global economic crisis.

But what about the ‘third’ sector - civil society?

Creating avenues for civic participation in the political, economic and cultural life of South African society

The largest portion of this year’s budget goes to education (some R140.4 billion). Special mention was made of capital expenditure to fix both schools and universities. For those working with poor communities we must welcome increased allocations for school feeding schemes and the building of more schools in poor areas.

More details will emerge once the Minister of Education presents her budget to parliament in the near future.