Latest news with #R5.08
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Parliament allocates R71m for medical aid for former MPs
42% of parliament's budget goes towards members' benefits. Speaker Thoko Didiza at the social services cluster of ministers address in the National Assembly in oral Q&A session at Good Hope Chamber on 4 September 2024 in Cape Gallo Images/Brenton Geach Parliament has set aside R71.2 million for medical aid contributions for former members of parliament and provincial legislatures. This is part of parliament's requested R5.08 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year, as announced by National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza during the budget vote debate on Tuesday. However, the National Treasury allocated only R3.58 billion to the instituition. Notably, the allocation for former legislators represents a substantial portion of the approved parliamentary budget. According to Didiza, the remaining funds include R500 million specifically earmarked for the restoration and refurbishment of parliamentary buildings following the fire damage in January 2022. MP benefits dominate budget allocation Didiza revealed that '42% of our budget goes towards members' benefits, such as remuneration, entitlements, medical aid for current and former members of parliament and provincial legislators as well as the transfers to political parties for constituency work, and political party administration'. This substantial allocation shows the financial commitment to support both active and retired parliamentarians. Parliament rebuilding and infrastructure investment The budget also allocated R500 million for the restoration of parliament as it tries to recover from the fire damage that has severely impacted its operations. '155 offices for members were completed and 54 are under refurbishment to be finished by end of September 2025,' Didiza said. She said the rebuilding project involves parliament, Public Works and Infrastructure, and National Treasury, with parliament taking responsibility for the reconstruction efforts. The Development Bank of Southern Africa is the implementing agent for the project. 'The architectural design was done and shared with members before finalisation,' Didiza added. ALSO READ: 'Luxury cloaked in secrecy' – Ntshavheni explains why she won't disclose her official travel expenses Committee resources and operational priorities The budget allocates R3 million per portfolio committee. Didiza emphasised that 'what drives our processes in parliament are committees. 'It is therefore important to ensure that committees are adequately resourced and have an insight into the resources they have on an annual basis for better planning.' Enhanced resources for public participation have been included to improve public hearings on lawmaking by portfolio committees. Dididza said the institution is also expanding its research capacity through additional researcher appointments. It is also recruiting more language practitioners to address service gaps identified by members. ALSO READ: EFF calls for Ad Hoc Committee investigation into Mkhwanazi's allegations, rejects portfolio committee investigations Legislative performance and oversight Parliament's legislative output during the past year included 15 bills passed by the National Assembly and referred to the National Council of Provinces. Twenty-seven bills are currently being processed by committees. In terms of parliamentary questions, the National Assembly processed 572 oral questions to the Executive, including the president and deputy president. Almost 99% of the questions received replies, according to Didiza. However, written questions showed a concerning response rate, with only 49% of the 3 315 questions posed receiving answers. 'I have raised concerns to the executive through the leader of government business on this matter. Members will remember that two weeks ago we reprimanded the members of the executive in this very house on this matter,' the speaker stated. ALSO READ: Treasury allocates R750m to offset Pepfar funding withdrawal as Motsoaledi tables health budget Priorities and democratic accountability The budget supports parliament's identified priorities for the seventh administration. This includes strengthening oversight and accountability frameworks, enhancing the legislative process and public involvement, improving public appointment processes, and improving international engagement. Legacy issues and reform implementation The budget also addresses several legacy issues from previous parliaments, including the implementation of recommendations from panels and commissions. Dididza said parliament has been engaging with institutions regarding the Asmal Report recommendations to review Chapter 9 institutions and is following up on outputs from the High-level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation. According to the speaker, progress has been made on the recommendations of the state capture report. She said several anti-corruption laws were passed since then, including the Financial Matters Amendment Act, the General Laws Amendment Act, National Prosecuting Amendment Act, and the Public Procurement Act. READ NEXT: Mkhwanazi vs Mchunu: Speaker Thoko Didiza rules on parliament debate
IOL News
15-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Thoko Didiza highlights the challenges of Parliament's budget for 2025/26
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza said that as presiding officers, they engage with the National Treasury on the funding model of Parliament. Image: Supplied National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza on Tuesday said the budget allocated to Parliament for the 2025/26 financial year was not ideally what they would like. Responding to criticisms on the institution's inadequate budget during the budget vote debate, Didiza urged MPs serving on the Finance Standing Committee, where they engage the Financial Fiscal Commission, which proposes to the National Treasury on how the budget must be constituted, to make contribution on how to alter the budget process. She noted that they could not only talk about the budget after its tabling. 'Steps towards the budgeting process starts now, the budget policy statement gives a broad overview of the policy direction on funding until the budget is made,' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Didiza also said that as presiding officers, they engage with the National Treasury and will continue to do so on the funding model of Parliament. 'We do believe that given our responsibility of oversight over the executive, there must be adequate resourcing of this institution, if indeed, it has to do its work properly. We are working towards that,' she said. Earlier, Didiza said the tabling of the budget enabled Parliament to focus on the key priorities. 'The budget includes allocation to our core business, which includes law making, oversight, and accountability. It also includes resources earmarked for supporting members of Parliament as they execute their functions, as well as the rebuilding of Parliament.' The total budget for Parliament for the 2025/26 financial year is R5.08 billion and the total allocation received from the National Treasury amounted to R3.58 billion, including R500 million for the restoration and refurbishment of the parliamentary buildings. Didiza also said it was important to ensure that committees were adequately resourced and have an insight into the resources they have on an annual basis for better planning. 'In this year's budget, we have allocated R3 million per portfolio committee. In addition, resources for public participation have been enhanced to ensure that public hearings on law-making by portfolio committees is improved.' Didiza also said they were increasing research capacity through the appointment of more researchers. 'The capacity of our language services was raised sharply by members last year. In addressing this situation, we are recruiting more language practitioners so that at every sitting of the National Assembly and the Council, we have adequate capacity as well as in specific sessions of 13 committees, where this service becomes essential.' She said 42% of the budget went towards members' benefits such as remuneration, entitlements, medical aid for current and former members of Parliament and Provincial Legislators, as well as the transfers to political parties for constituency work, and political party administration. The budget included the allocation for the contribution to medical aid of former members of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures to the tune of R71.2 million. But, MK Party MP Des van Rooyen said it was heartbreaking and disappointing that the budget allocation was very far from adequate. He said Parliament's budget was reduced by R521 million in this financial year alone. He said there was a budget shortfall when the Government of National Unity was imposing commissions of inquiry and bloated Cabinet with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu placed on special leave and an acting minister appointed to occupy his position. Van Rooyen also said the monies spent on the commission of inquiry and the salaries of Mchunu and acting minister should be appropriated to Parliament. 'We call for full capacity of an independent Parliament to run and execute its affairs without reliance on other department, such as Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. We must establish a multiparty budget committee to lobby and mobilise resources from the national fiscus,' Van Rooyen added. EFF chief whip Nontando Nolutshungu said her party had warned about bad decision budget cuts that they would weaken democracy ,and treating Parliament as side show. She said the budget made it harder for committees to meet and allowed ministers to dodge accountability with no consequences. 'What we see is a threat to democracy,' Nolutshungu said. 'All this happens when billions are wasted on corruption, endless dialogues, and commissions of inquiry,' she said. ACDP MP Steven Swart blamed the reduced budget to failure by MPs to use their powers to amend it. 'Let us make sure we use of our powers. Let's not ring our hands and say there is no money when we can shift the budget. We have the power but to date, it is not being used,' Swart said. DA chief whip George Michalakis said Parliament needed to be managed properly. He questioned the unnecessary spending on overseas trips with massive delegations that were planned at the last minutes. Michalakis asked why there was still feeding of MPs in committee meetings when they could bring their lunch boxes. He also said there should be a moratorium on filling new posts except with approval of the National Treasury. Michalakis also said business travel on flights should be limited, and that outsourcing of broadcasting should be limited or stopped completely and ensure what Parliament was meant to do, such as oversight and law-making, among other things, was prioritised.
