NCOP votes in favour of Appropriation Bill, finalising 2025 budget process

CAPE TOWN - The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Appropriation Bill, officially finalising the 2025 budget process.

But the MK Party and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) continued their rejection of the bill and the budget in the NCOP, in a follow-up to last week’s debate and adoption in the National Assembly.

As is the case with all money bills that accompany the budget, the NCOP must also adopt the Appropriation Bill to allow for the full transfer of funds to various departments and entities.

The NCOP voted on each individual department budget in the same way the National Assembly did in its lengthy sitting last week.

After debating the individual budgets, the bill was put to the vote, with 51 delegates voting in favour and just nine voting against it, with no abstentions.

The MK Party's Mmabatho Mokoena said they rejected the bill, calling it a "misappropriation" of funds.

"It's a lifeline for your corrupt politicians, failing ministers and bloated departments that can never deliver a simple toilet without a scandal. You call it the Appropriation Bill, we call it a misappropriation bonanza."

The Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Dennis Ryder said the bill was not perfect, but his party supported the budget.

"Is it a perfect document? No. No budget ever can be and this is the reality faced by every household in South Africa."

The bill will now be sent to the president for assent before it becomes an act of Parliament and departments can spend their funds.