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Social Development: Government Information: Library Guide: Public finance

A guide to finding government information for Social Development students.

Budget Publications

National Treasury. National Budget 2018

Parliamentary Reports

The Portfolio Committees of the National Assembly produce Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports on each Government Department, e.g., 2017 BRRR on the Department of Social Development.

Public finance

The National Treasury is responsible for compiling the Budget every year in the form of the Budget speech, Budget review and Estimates of revenue and expenditure. The amount allocated to each government department is know as a "Vote." The Votes are summarised in the Appropriation Bill, which is debated in Parliament, Vote by Vote. The Bill becomes the Appropriation Act once passed and the sums voted are allocated to the government departments. Public finance matters are also discussed by the Public Accounts Committee. At the end of the financial year the accounts of each government department are examined by the Auditor-General, who publishes reports. 

Audit Publications

Annual and special reports of the Auditor-General of South Africa.

The reports of the Auditor-General on specific Departments are included in the Departmental Annual Reports.

Budget Debates

"Votes" are debated in Parliament each year and published in the Parliamentary Debates or Hansard, e.g., Mini-plenary on Vote 17, Social Development on 25 May 2017 & Minister of Social Development Budget Speech & responses by ANC, DA & IFP, 9 May 2018.

The online Debates or Hansard are available on the Parliamentary Monitoring Group site and the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa site.