Mashatile acknowledges current budget process not transparent enough

CAPE TOWN - Deputy President Paul Mashatile has acknowledged that the current budget process is not transparent enough, with only a little scrutiny from the public.

Mashatile has also assured the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC), one of the budget process's biggest critics, that the government will never underestimate its recommendations on the budget going forward.

Mashatile was addressing a budget 2025 roundtable in Cape Town on Wednesday, which was hosted by the FFC and attended by members of Parliament (MPs), academics and economists.

The FFC, an independent body that provides advice and recommendations to government and provinces, has been one of the 2025 budget’s biggest critics.

Its chairperson, Nombeko Mbava, has gone on record slamming the lack of transparency in the process by the National Treasury. 

Presenting the keynote address at Wednesday’s roundtable, Mashatile agreed with her calling for a more open process, especially in a more contested political arrangement like the Government of National Unity (GNU). 

“We have learned that the current budgetary process is not transparent and inclusive enough, making it difficult for citizens to understand how government goes about the process of taking some of the most critical decisions in allocation of resources.”

Mbava told the discussion that it’s not business as usual with the budget being challenged in court for the first time.

She also called for a more inclusive budget to address high youth unemployment, saying this could become a security risk if not addressed urgently.

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