Adjustment Budget tabling in November raises concerns among parliamentarians

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza on Friday denied that Parliament was bending to the executive over the tabling of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement  (MTBPS).

This comes after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana informed Parliament that he will table the MTBPS, the Adjustment Appropriation Bill, and the Division of Revenue Bill on November 12 rather than earlier.

The late date of tabling, caused by budget planning processes arising from the long time it took to pass the 2025 Budget, means that the Adjustment Budget will be passed only in January 2026.

But, the opposition has questioned the legal implications of the chosen dates in the tabling of the Budget in 2026.

Briefing the National Assembly Programme Committee, ANC MP Cameron Dugmore said after the tabling of MTBS, the National Assembly will consider the report of the Standing Committee on Finance on the revised and proposed fiscal framework on November 27.

This will be followed by consideration of Appropriation Committee’s report on December 9 and the adoption of the Division of Revenue and Adjustment Appropriation Bills in January.

Secretary to Parliament Masibulele Xaso said the proposal was that they deal with the adjusted appropriation proposals on January 13.

ANC Deputy Chief Whip Doris Dlakude said: “I just want to support the date as proposed for us to deal with the appropriations in January 2026.”

EFF Chief Whip Nontando Nolutshungu asked about the implications of moving the date to January 13, and whether they will still be within the timeframes prescribed by the Money Bill.

“The Money Bill says that the minister must table the MTBPS three months before the introduction of the national Budget. Now, if we move the dates, what will be the implications in terms of the introduction of the national Budget?” asked Nolutshungu.

Her colleague Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi complained that Parliament is allowed to be dictated to by the executive.

“After the minister tables it, Parliament needs to process it within 30 days. Now there's a proposal that we must finalise it on 13 January. We know that people are still on holiday,” Mkhaliphi said, adding that Parliament should finalise the adjusted appropriations on December 12.

DA Chief Whip George Michalakis said his party supported the finalisation of the adjusted budget in the middle of January.

“I do just want you to make this one remark that Members of Parliament are probably the only job in the country that's perceived to still be on holiday in the middle of January, and it really wouldn't hurt anyone to come back to work during that period like the rest of the country would,” Michalakis said.

Parliamentary legal advisor Frank Jenkins said one of the timeframes gives Parliament’s finance committee 15 days from the tabling of the Adjustment Budget to report on the fiscal framework.

“It is not the House that must approve it within 15 days.”

He also said the Standing Committee on Appropriations has to report to the House within 30 days after tabling of the national adjustments budget, or as soon as reasonably possible thereafter.

“The way I understand it, 12 December is very close to the time we usually rise on the 15th, and many things can happen. There might be a request for further public consultations. We do not know what is in the adjustments budget,” Jenkins said.

On the tabling of the national Budget, Jenkins said the Public Finance Management Act says the minister must table the annual budget before the start of the new financial year or on a date as soon as possible after the start of that financial year.

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza said Parliament was not bending backwards and forwards to the executive on the date for the tabling of the adjustment budget and MTBPS.

“We did engage the minister and pointed out to him that the delay in the policy statement will actually affect the timeline that needs to be followed to actually pass the statement.

“He indeed appreciated the concerns that Parliament had raised to the effect, but also indicated to Parliament that the delay in the approval of the budget has actually affected the budgeting planning process that the National Treasury has to undertake.”

She said November 12 was the earliest the adjustment budget could be tabled, and there was nothing more that Parliament would do in that respect.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za