National Assembly approves motion for supplementary budget for 2023 |05 October 2023
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Motion was tabled following budget mid-year review in September
The National Assembly yesterday approved a motion for a supplementary budget of R275,506,848.63 for the year 2023, in accordance with Article 154(6) of the Constitution.
The motion tabled by the elected member for Bel Ombre, Sandy Arissol, received 18 votes in favour, none against, while eight members abstained.
Debate on the motion started on Tuesday afternoon, following the presentation by Mr Arissol, who explained that the supplementary estimate is a budget re-allocation from the initial 2023 budget.
He said a budget was not fixed, but rather dynamic because there were expenditures that were not planned by government but must be done. The amount being requested will be re-allocated to government entities.
The motion was being tabled two weeks after the budget mid-year review before the National Assembly by Vice-President Ahmed Afif.
Mr Afif had requested the supplementary budget during the review, explaining that part of the budget will be used to fund wages of some entities, cover recruitment, as some organisations no longer exist and their employees have been absorbed by other entities.
Hon Arissol told the national assembly that government had already spent around R45 million in the supplementary budget, while the rest would be spent only after the motion was approved.
Following yesterday’s approval, the next step would be to present a supplementary Appropriation Bill to regularise the spending under the Supplementary Estimate before the National Assembly next year.