Budget Vote debates

Committees have been meeting for two weeks with departments and their entities to pore over their strategic and annual performance plans, budgets and performance targets in preparation for reports to be considered by the House

Budget vote debates provides an opportunity for Parliament to discuss, and then formally adopt, the budgets of government departments and entities that are funded through a parliamentary vote. The debate allows 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 in a forum larger than a Committee meeting. 

Each debate lasts about 2.5 hours and take place in mini-plenaries i.e. breakaway sessions of the National Assembly. The Minister and Deputy Minister/s introduces the budget on behalf of the Department and MPs then debate the budget through a Speakers' List. Multiple budget vote debates take place in one time in about three different venues. 

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