Budget & Finance

Appropriation Bill Bill 4 of 2025

Passed

Free State Appropriation Bill 4 of 2025 — R42.8 Billion Provincial Budget

The main appropriation for the 2025/26 financial year, allocating funds across 14 provincial votes. ANC caucus supported passage with three amendments relating to underspending penalties in Health and Education. The Bill was passed on 27 March 2025.

R42.8 billion

Total provincial appropriation · 2025/26

▲ 6.3% vs 2024/25

27 March 2025 ANC voted: Aye (16/16) All departments

Hansard Download PDF

Budget Vote Debate

Passed

Vote 4 — Education: R18.6 Billion Allocation

ANC caucus debated the Education budget vote, raising concerns about the R420 million infrastructure backlog and the 14% vacancy rate in school principal posts across rural districts. The caucus called for earmarked funding for the Thabo Mofutsanyana district upgrade programme.

R18.6 billion

Vote 4 — Education · 43.5% of total budget

▲ 7.1%

18 March 2025 MEC: Hon. T. Makalo Education

View debate Download

Budget Vote Debate

Passed

Vote 5 — Health: R12.4 Billion, NHI Readiness & District Hospitals

The Health budget debate focused on NHI preparedness, with ANC members highlighting the need for accelerated appointment of 380 vacant clinical posts and the R1.2bn conditional grant for district hospital refurbishment across Lejweleputswa and Xhariep.

R12.4 billion

Vote 5 — Health · 29.0% of total budget

▲ 5.8%

19 March 2025 Health

View debate Download

Adjustment Estimate

Passed

2024/25 Adjustments Appropriation — R680 Million Reprioritisation

Mid-year adjustments reprioritised R680 million within the provincial budget. ANC caucus secured additional allocations for the Kopanong Water Crisis emergency programme (R95m) and extended the rural roads maintenance conditional grant by R120m to address critical pothole backlogs.

R680 million

Net mid-year adjustment · Nov 2024

14 November 2024 All departments

Committee report → Download

Oversight Finding

Under Review

Vote 7 — Police, Roads & Transport: R340m Underspending Flagged

ANC caucus finance review identified R340 million in persistent underspending in Vote 7, concentrated in the Infrastructure Grant programme. A formal committee finding was issued requiring the department to submit a remediation plan within 30 days, with a projected reallocation recommendation if targets remain unmet.

Committee Finding Underspending of R340m (8.1% of vote allocation) in Infrastructure Grant. Department directed to provide written corrective action plan by 15 April 2025.

14 March 2025 Police, Roads & Transport

View finding Report PDF →

Budget Vote Debate

Passed

Vote 6 — Human Settlements: R1.8 Billion & Housing Backlog Plan

Budget vote debate centred on the province's 120,000-unit housing backlog. ANC caucus welcomed the R450m HSDG allocation and called for prioritisation of the Mangaung metro informal settlement upgrade programme as a condition of the caucus's Aye vote on the allocation.

R1.8 billion

Vote 6 — Human Settlements · 2025/26

▲ 11.2%

20 March 2025 Human Settlements

View debate Download

Appropriation Bill Bill 3 of 2024

Passed

Free State Appropriation Bill 3 of 2024 — R40.3 Billion

Main appropriation for the 2024/25 financial year. ANC caucus supported unanimous passage. The bill was notable for including a R320m ring-fenced allocation for the Lesotho Highlands Water Royalties-funded drought infrastructure programme.

R40.3 billion

Total appropriation · 2024/25

▲ 5.9% vs 2023/24

28 March 2024 All departments

Hansard Download PDF

Budget Vote Debate

Passed

Vote 3 — Agriculture & Rural Development: R2.1 Billion Food Security Focus

ANC caucus debate highlighted the strategic importance of the Xhariep and Thabo Mofutsanyana smallholder farmer support programme, and requested improved reporting on CASP and Ilima/Letsema grant utilisation. The caucus endorsed the R280m communal irrigation scheme upgrade as a priority project.

R2.1 billion

Vote 3 — Agriculture & Rural Development · 2025/26

▲ 4.2%

17 March 2025 Agriculture

View debate Download

Budget Vote Debate

Passed

Vote 11 — Social Development: R1.6 Billion, Early Childhood Development Expansion

ANC caucus debate welcomed the R180m ECD subsidy increase and called for the acceleration of the Social Relief of Distress transition programme targeting 42,000 beneficiaries across the province. Members raised concerns about delays in the SASSA registration system affecting vulnerable households in Qwaqwa.

R1.6 billion

Vote 11 — Social Development · 2025/26

▲ 8.4%

21 March 2025 Social Development

View debate Download