In September 2024 Development Southern Africa (DSA) published a special issue titled “Spending Reviews and the Evolution of South African Public Finance Management Reforms”, and in the editorial GTAC’s Acting Head Ronette Engela reflects on the progress and challenges of institutionalising spending reviews in the public sector. All the articles can be found on the GTAC site.
Spending Reviews attracted significant attention over the past (budget) month, and Ronette Engela was invited to address Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations (SCOA) about findings from the 240 spending reviews completed for national and provincial government since 2013. Deputy Director-General of Public Finance at Treasury Rendani Randela said GTAC would send its consolidated spending reviews to Parliament next month, with updated statistics. Both Treasury and the Presidency are also set to establish a new committee to conduct a budget spending review and identify waste and inefficient government programmes.
Here are links to the mainstream news coverage of these spending reviews:
News24
- How govt could save R36bn in 3 years, according to a Treasury agency
- VAT hike threat a ‘powerful incentive’ to cut govt spending – Treasury official
Business Day
- Government ‘can save R12bn a year’ axing inefficient projects Low-priority programmes can be cut through spending reviews, says Treasury’s independent unit
- EDITORIAL: Budget experts must up their game. We have yet to see thoughtful, thoroughly researched alternatives to the budget
EWN
- ‘Targeted cuts’, possible retrenchments ways govt can save money, Treasury tells MPs
- Govt buying leased properties, closing foreign missions can save billions: Treasury
Daily Maverick
Parliamentary Monitoring Group