DA proposes R9.52 billion adjustment to the 2016/17 budget to improve the lives of the people in SA

16 May 2016 

Tomorrow, we will propose a R9.52 billion adjustment to the 2016/17 budget by proposing 399 amendments to fund six proposals, aimed at improving the lives of people in South Africa.

Our amendments to the 2016/17 budget are aimed at:

- creating jobs by allocating an additional R1.2 billion to fund approximately 180 000 new work opportunities in the Expanded Public Works Programme; 

- fighting crime by allocating an additional R500 million to establish a specialised unit to fight gang and drug-related crime; 

- assisting struggling students by allocating R2.73 billion to inter alia to provide additional funding 205 000 students who qualify for funding under the National Student Financial Aid Scheme; 

- fighting corruption by allocating an additional R117.89 million to fully fund the Office of the Public Protector; 

- assisting poor households by allocating an additional R2.24 billion to assist social grant beneficiaries; and 

- providing drought relief by allocating an additional R2.73 billion to assist drought-stricken communities.

Our amendments are “budget neutral” and will be funded by reprioritising expenditure, within the existing budget, and will have no effect on the fiscal deficit, which is estimated to be R139 billion, or 3.2% of GDP, in 2016/17.

The amendments to the 2016/17 budget will be proposed at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Appropriations tomorrow, 17 May 2016, in Parliament.

Issued by David Maynier, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, 16 May 2016