Parliamentary committees have been meeting in the past weeks with departments and entities to pore over their 2022/23 Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans, budgets and performance targets in preparation for reports to be considered by the National Assembly.

Annual Performance Plans identify the performance indicators and targets that the institution will seek to achieve in the upcoming budget year. It is important that these performance indicators and targets are aligned across an institution’s annual plans, budgets, in-year and annual reports. In addition, the process for the production of the Annual Performance Plan should be aligned to the budget process.

Strategic Plans identify strategically important outcomes orientated goals and objectives against which public institutions’ medium-term results can be measured and evaluated by Parliament, provincial legislatures and the public. Source: National Treasury

Following the scrutinisation of APP documents, Budget vote debates will ensue- which provide an opportunity for MPs to discuss, and then formally adopt, the budgets of government departments and entities that are funded through a parliamentary vote. The debates will allow for Parliament, and the public, to be updated about what departments are doing, how they are performing and exactly how public money is being used.

The debates take place in mini-plenaries i.e. breakaway sessions of the National Assembly. The Minister and Deputy Minister/s introduce the budget on behalf of a department and MPs then debate the budget through a Speakers' List. Multiple budget vote debates will take place in one time in different venues.

After each vote has been debated, each House (NA + NCOP) must vote on the whole budget.

See: Budget Vote debates schedule