The recent Constitutional Court ruling that Parliament acted unconstitutionally in failing to adequately hold the President accountable in the Phala Phala matter is a stark reminder that Parliament’s role is central to our democracy, both in terms of legislative development, but also to act as an oversight body over the executive arm of government — from ministers and their departments to the President.

How well Parliament fares on this oversight role will be on display starting this week and lasting throughout May, as every minister will present their department’s budget and priorities in a series of scheduled budget votes.

These departmental budget votes are often overlooked and underreported, especially when compared to the more high profile National Budget. How departments intend to spend their allocated budgets is the clearest signal of which policies will be made reality, and which will not.

Ministers present these budgets and plans to portfolio committees, and then members of Parliament debate whether the proposed funding should be adopted.

These debates are not mere pageantry – or at least should not be. They shape whether key strategic projects proceed, whether state institutions are adequately funded, and whether reforms have the resources needed for implementation. While the National Budget sets the overall fiscal framework, departmental budget votes allocate the money line-by-line across the state.

These budget votes also reveal which issues are commanding political attention — and which are quietly falling off the national agenda. This year’s round of budget votes are likely to be shaped by the fallout from the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Phala Phala, which will embolden opposition parties, particularly in portfolio committees linked to Justice and the Presidency.

Equally important to watch for will be the issues that receive limited attention. Are structural reform initiatives such as Project Vulindlela embedded into departmental priorities and spending, or do they represent mere cherry-picked projects used for PR? Especially key will be the Department of Transport’s budget vote to see whether private partnerships for the country’s financially strained and inefficient rail, road and port infrastructure are welcomed, just tolerated, or ignored. Similarly, will sufficient allocations be made to invest in the SAPS so that it can combat crime using the best available technology, capabilities and investigative techniques? And is the heightened global geopolitical and economic instability even on the radar of our executive and parliamentarians?

Budget votes are also one of the clearest tests of support for the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the broader stability of governing coalitions. Parties may want to use the debates to signal dissatisfaction, extract concessions, or apply pressure on departments and ministers.

This, then, is the challenge for the private sector: to ensure that pathways to economic growth and job creation are clearly and consistently communicated — not only during the budget vote period, but throughout the year. Forward-looking policies will only come into reality if those who drive economic growth actively make their voices heard.

And when government departments fail to meet expectations in protecting economic activity –whether on farms, at mines, car manufacturing, or the ICT and tech sector — the private sector should also equip parliamentarians with the information and arguments needed to hold the executive to account and shape the outcomes of crucial departmental budgets.

– Gerhard Mulder
Account Director