Checks and balances key for equitable budget

THE Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) is a constitutional institution that makes recommendations to Parliament, recently presented its recommendations on the 2025 Budget.

- PATIENCE NOMBЕKO MBAVA

These recommendations by constitutional institutions seek to ensure that our tax money is used efficiently and will benefit all South Africans.

Where the Financial and Fiscal Commission’s legislated contributions to the budget process are seemingly manipulated, ignored or reduced to a tick-box exercise, the integrity of the budget process must be called into question, as the beneficiary process seemingly becomes superficial, incomplete and irregular.

The Financial and Fiscal Commission’s mandate is to provide its recommendations to Parliament to enable the lawmakers to make informed decisions. Its recommendations ensure that there are checks and balances, equity and fairness in how fiscal resources are allocated to protect the values enshrined in the Constitution.

Many demands compete for government funding. Money must see space to grow the economy, create jobs, protect the poor and vulnerable, deliver basic services, save failing state entities, fix our crumbling infrastructure, and pay salaries for millions of public servants.