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Parliament and the National Budget Process 1 JULY 2014

PC on Women in the Presidency. Parliament and the National Budget Process 1 JULY 2014. Presentation Outline. Portfolio Committees ’ Processing Of Budget Votes Overview of Budget Cycle Legal Framework Role Players in Budget Cycle Budget Cycle Expectations Supporting Documents

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Parliament and the National Budget Process 1 JULY 2014

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  1. PC on Women in the Presidency Parliament and the National Budget Process 1 JULY 2014

  2. Presentation Outline • Portfolio Committees’ Processing Of Budget Votes • Overview of Budget Cycle • Legal Framework • Role Players in Budget Cycle • Budget Cycle • Expectations • Supporting Documents • Sector Analysis

  3. STRATEGIC & ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLANS: TABLING AND REFERRAL • A Department’s executive authority is responsible for tabling strategic plans and/or annual performance plans before Parliament (after the tabling of the national budget). The tabling is announced in the publication Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports,commonly referred to as the ATC. • Once tabled, the documents should be accessible via departmental websites (electronic versions) and Parliament’s documentation office (hardcopies). • After tabling, the Speaker of the National Assembly refers the plans to the relevant committees for report within a specific timeframe. Reporting is in terms of NA Rule 137, and should take place before the debate on a particular vote. A portfolio committee’s report on a department/entity’s budget and strategic plans should be published in the ATC before the debate on that vote. • Budget debates take place in extended public committees (EPCs) • Extended Public committees comprise the members of the committee to which the vote had been referred, and any other members of the Assembly who attend the proceedings (NA Rule 32). It is practice that members serving on cluster committees are required to attend all cluster EPCs.

  4. COMMITTEE LEVEL (NA) • Once referred to a Portfolio Committee, that committee must develop a programme for considering, and reporting on the budget vote and strategic and/or annual performance plans referred to it. • The process may include public participation through advertising for comment, or invitations to specific stakeholders/interest groups e.g academic and/or research institutions; non-governmental organisations; etc. • The process must include: • Analyses by parliamentary research and content support; • Political overview by the relevant executive authority; • Briefings by the relevant accounting officers; • Scrutiny of the tabled documents, presentations and any other input; • Committee deliberations; • Drafting and adoption of a Committee report (comprising a summary of the process followed, observations made, and a recommendation to the National Assembly as to whether the budget should be approved or not)

  5. POTENTIAL CHALLENGES • Short period between establishment of committees, election of Chairpersons and EPCs • Departments will receive short notice of Committees’ programmes, and will have little time to prepare for briefings etc; • Members of Committees will have little time to familiarise themselves with the portfolios they oversee, and with the relevant budgets, strategic plans, and their associated responsibilities; • Little opportunity for public comment. • Revival of strategic/annual performance plans that were tabled before the elections • In instances where Departments have been merged, the relevant executive authority may decide to table revised plans, which may cause delays in the affected portfolio committees’ processes, which in turn may impact on reporting.

  6. Overview • What is a budget • The process of how revenue raised by National Government will be allocated to National, Provincial and Local Governments. • The budget is a process through which choices have to be made about competing priorities • A planning tool that translates policy into service delivery through the allocation of scarce resources • The budget can potentially act as a powerful tool for redistribution and development in society and can enhance the stability of the country’s economy.

  7. LEGAL FRAMEWORK Overview • Oversight is a Constitutional mandated function of the legislative organs of state, to scrutinize and oversee Executive action and any organ of state. • The Constitution Section 215 provides that • National, provincial and municipal budgets and budgetary processes must promote transparency, accountability and the effective financial management of the economy, debt and the public sector. • Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) - The main objective of this Act is to ensure transparency, accountability, and sound management of the revenue, expenditure, assets and liabilities of all public institutions. • Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA)- The main objective of this Act is to ensure sound and sustainable management of the financial affairs of those institutions which fall within the local government sphere. • The Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, (Money Bills Act) puts in place the procedure to amend money bills, as per Sec 77(3) of the Constitution. It defines the processes and procedures that will be undertaken to pass the Budget

  8. ROLE PLAYERS IN THE BUDGET CYCLE • Legislatures (Portfolio Committees, Finance and Appropriations Committees, SCOPA) • Cabinet (National and Provincial Departments, National Treasury) • Auditor-General. • Public Entities. • Constitutional entities. • Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) • South African Local Government Association • Civil Society • Parliamentary Budget Office • CGE

  9. tHE BUDGET CYCLE Cabinet Lekgotla - January

  10. The Budget cycle • In January, Cabinet Lekgotla discusses the government priorities for the next financial year. • In February, the President presents the State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the Minister of Finance introduces the National Budget. • In his budget speech, the Minister of Finance tables in Parliament the ENE chapters, Appropriation Bill and The Division of Revenue Bill. • Between March and July, Parliament passes the Division of Revenue Bill and Appropriation Bill which includes considering each departmental vote. These confirm the allocation of funds to each vote. • In September to November, the National Assembly considers Annual Reports and submits BRRR reports, adopts the fiscal framework and passes money bills. • The MTBPS sets out the budget policy framework proposals for the outer three year years (MTEF) • BRRR – provides an assessment of the Department’s service delivery performance given available resources, must provide an assessment on the effectiveness and efficiency of the Department’s use and forward allocation of available resources and may include recommendations on the forward use of resources.

  11. expectations • As the peoples’ representative, Parliament: • Approves or amends the Budget (guided by Money Bills Act Section 10) • Ensures that the Budget matches the nation’s needs with the resources that are available. • Parliamentary committees will be ready to consider and report on their respective budget vote - Debate on Vote 8: Women, Children and People with Disabilities (E249), 16 July 2014 • Money Bills Act provides that when considering the Appropriation Bill, the National Assembly must also assess the budget votes of departments together with their strategic and annual performance plans. • In the next few months: • Quarterly Expenditure and Performance Reports • Annual Reports tabling in September 2014 • BRRR in September-October 2014 • MTBPS in October 2014

  12. Documents for budget oversight • Key Government policy documents that are relevant: • SONA (June 2014) • Sector Relevant Documents • National Budget Documents • Division of Revenue Act of 2014 • Budget Review • Estimates of National Expenditure (ENE) – Vote 8 (Programme 2 – WEGE) • Appropriation Bill • Minister speeches and presentations to committees of Parliament • Updated Strategic Plans • Annual Performance Plan (Tabled in March 2014 & Available) • Auditor General and SCOPA • Reports of other relevant institutions (FFC, DPME)

  13. Sector Analysis: Gender Equality

  14. GENDER INEQUALITY • South Africa GII value of 0.462, ranking it 90 out of 148 countries in the 2012 index. • In comparison Namibia and Congo are ranked at 86 and 132 respectively on this index. • 41.1% parliamentary seats are held by women • 68.9% of adult women have reached a secondary or higher level of education compared to 72.2% of their male counterparts. • For every 100,000 live births, 300 women die from pregnancy related causes • Adolescent fertility rate is 50.4 births per 1000 live births. • Female participation in the labour market is 44% compared to 60.8 for men.

  15. KEY ISSUES • Women comprise more than half of the SA population (54%) • Significant component of the electorate • Challenges & concerns • High unemployment • Levels of poverty – feminisation of poverty • Land reform • Quadruple burden of disease – care, morbidity and mortality • Education and skills • Gender Based Violence • Stakeholders • Government, Private sector/Business, civil society, media • Government • Significant advances over 20 years - socio-economic and civil and political rights • Signatory to international & regional treaties • Policy and Legislative developments • Structures – Office on the Status of Women, Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, gender focal points • Commission for Gender Equality

  16. SONA JUNE 2014 & VOTE 8 • Government’s Aim: Promoting women’s empowerment & development • Purpose of Ministry of Women in Presidency: To promote women’s socio-economic empowerment, development and human rights How has Vote 8 given effect to SONA priorities identified?

  17. OUTSTANDING MATTERS – 4th PARLIAMENT • Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities • Budget Review and Recommendation Report (2013) • Turn Around Strategy • Fluxman’s Report (HR, Finance etc.) • CGE and WEGE Programme – dealing with synergy and overlap • National Council on Gender Based Violence • Resolutions from United Nations Commission on the Status of Women of 2013 & 2014 • Treaty compliance • International and regional e.g. CEDAW, SADC Gender Protocol • Legislation • WEGE Bill

  18. VOTE 8 & Ministry for women in presidency Key questions for consideration • Will the mission and vision of the new Ministry be similar or different to the former Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities? If so what would be the envisaged changes? • What are the implications for the Commission for Gender Equality? • Where will the National Council on Gender Based Violence be located now? What are the implications?

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