Latest news with #Pieterse
IOL News
24-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
National Treasury set to unveil significant spending reviews to Cabinet
National Treasury director-general Duncan Pieterse says work on spending reviews has just started, along with the work around conditional grants review in infrastructure and the ghost worker audit. Image: Supplied National Treasury director-general Duncan Pieterse said the work to be done by his department on spending reviews will soon be presented before the Cabinet. Pieterse said there were historical spending reviews and that they have embarked on a new wave of them. 'Some of the new spending reviews are complete, like the work on active labour market programmes and public employment, and that we will be tabling to Cabinet and elsewhere soon,' he said. He made the statement along with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and the National Treasury team unpacking the 2025/26 Budget on Friday. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ In his Budget speech, Godongwana said the National Treasury has undertaken expenditure reviews looking at more than R300 billion in the government's spending since 2013 to identify duplications, waste, and inefficiencies. Pieterse said some of the work on spending reviews has just started, along with the work around the conditional grants review in infrastructure and the ghost worker audit. 'We intend to take this work and make it part of the budget process and embed it there, and of course, the committee should, when it engages with us on a quarterly basis, ask us about the outcomes there.' He also said they are starting with national and provincial departments for the ghost worker audit because that is the area where they have the best data to effect piloting work there. 'Nothing stops us from extending it to entities as we gather that data, but that is going to be a little bit more difficult in exercise because now we are moving beyond Persal, which is where all the data on personnel sits, to individual data sets,' he said. Godongwana had a data-driven approach to detect payroll irregularities and will replace the more costly method of using censuses. 'This initiative will cross-reference administrative data sets to identify ghost workers and other anomalies across government departments.' In its presentation to the joint committee on Friday, the National Treasury said it planned to conclude the full review of the 2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and roll out reforms from the Budget process review study. It also said it will strengthen the consultation channels in the context of the Government of National Unity framework, including empowering the Cabinet to grapple with the complexity of trade-offs and macro fiscal stability, as well as to empower government-wide technical committees to be responsive to the GNU priorities. It added that it will upgrade data, IT, and capital-budget systems to embed evidence-based decisions across the government. DA spokesperson for finance, Mark Burke, wanted to know the powers and timelines of the spending reviews. 'I would like to understand what the force of its findings will be. Will they be recommendations or enforceable?' he asked. 'While we are looking at that, some of the expenditure items that we will no doubt identify in there will require legislative changes. I am hoping the minister can give us a bit more information on our agreed omnibus bill to effect those changes and whether he's got a timeline on the introduction of that legislation.' ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said it would be great if the spending review processes were transparent. 'It is an issue that we have, as ActionSA, been saying, it must start with the Cabinet. We have got a bloated Cabinet to live the life of luxury, and we have to live by example. We can't tell other people to tighten their belts when the Cabinet's belt is getting looser, so I think the first spending review must be with the Cabinet,' Beesley said. Mmusi Maimane, the Standing Committee of Appropriations chairperson and BOSA leader, said while he accepted the principle of spending reviews, it would be a miss if it did not include parliamentary input upfront or post factor. 'When we do spending reviews, there are certain things to be taken into account,' he said. Deputy Minister David Masondo said they would look at spending reviews to make sure that it was not enough just to raise revenue. 'We need to be looking at how we are spending that money in the context of making sure that there are efficiencies in our spending. I think the issue around the timelines on the spending reviews and making sure that they are enforceable, it is something that we will have to go back and do,' Masondo said.
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
R466bn ‘hit' as National Treasury lowers SA GDP forecast
'This is the main contributor to the projected increase in the country's debt-to-GDP ratio' – DG Duncan Pieterse. South Africa's National Treasury has lowered its GDP growth forecast for the country (to 1.4%) for 2025, as well as for the next two years (1.6% in 2026 and 1.8% in 2027), in the wake of 'international trade volatility and policy uncertainty' due to US President Donald Trump's tariffs and the resultant threat of a global trade war. The slower growth over the next three years is expected to have a R466 billion 'hit' on the SA economy, Director-General (DG) of the Treasury Duncan Pieterse confirmed in response to questions during a Budget 3.0 media Q&A session on Wednesday. In the March budget, Treasury forecast 1.9% GDP growth for 2025, 1.7% for 2026, and 1.9% for 2027. However, it had to revise this downwards in the latest budget. Facing questions about SA's 'weaker fiscal position' reflected in the country's higher debt-to-GDP forecast of 77.4% in Budget 3.0 (up from 76.2% in the March budget), Pieterse said the downward revision in economic growth 'is what's driving' the increase in debt-to-GDP projections over the next three years, not higher government debt levels or significant increases in spending. ALSO READ: Sensible or underwhelming? Economists react to Godongwana's Budget 3.0 He said that due to the revision of the economic outlook, SA is now forecast to see 'a R130 billion movement' in nominal GDP growth for 2025 – essentially less-than-expected growth. 'In 2026/27, the impact would be around R161 billion, and in 2027/28, around R178 billion … The cumulative effect [of the lower GDP growth] is some R466 billion,' Pieterse later added. 'Included in this is the fact that we ended up with lower-than-expected GDP growth in the last quarter of 2024 [0.6%, instead of the forecast 0.8%]. Remember that the Q4 2024 GDP outcome was not included in the March budget [it was not released at the time],' he explained. Source: National Treasury Pieterse said the lower GDP growth forecast effectively 'pushed up the debt-to-GDP' or debt as a percentage of GDP metric. 'However, for us, the de facto fiscal anchor is the primary surplus … And that is getting better. We believe our fiscal objectives are on track,' he said, echoing Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. ALSO READ: Budget 3.0 was not a chainsaw budget, economists say Pieterse stressed that more focus should be placed on SA's primary surplus and the fact that the forecast budget deficit as a percentage of GDP was still 'intact' at 4.6% for 2025/26. 'As global growth has faltered, South Africa's economic outlook has also weakened, with GDP expected to grow by only 1.4% in 2025. Global risk and economic weakness reinforce the need for us to put our fiscal house in order,' he said in the foreword of the latest Budget Review, tabled with other budget documents in parliament on Wednesday. 'The fiscal strategy remains on course so that government can spend less on debt-service costs and more on critical public services. As per our commitment, government debt will stabilise in 2025/26 at 77.4% of GDP. For the first time since the 2000s, government is consistently running a primary surplus, where revenue exceeds non-interest expenditure,' Pieterse added. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
The Citizen
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Treasury slashes early retirement costs
Revised down from R11bn estimated in the 2024 MTBPS to R5.5bn across 2025/26 and 2026/27. The early retirement programme aims to rationalise and rejuvenate the public service while retaining critical skills and promoting the entry of younger talent. Picture Shutterstock The allocation for the early retirement programme has been revised down from R11 billion estimated in the 2024 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement to R5.5 billion across 2025/26 and 2026/27. 'This budget also retains the provisional allocations for early retirement, allocations for Prasa and the municipal trading entity reforms announced before, but at a slightly lower level than anticipated in the March 12 budget,' says Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in his speech. Re-introduced last year, the incentive aims to rationalise and rejuvenate the public service while retaining critical skills and promoting the entry of younger talent. In 2019 there was a similar offer, but it didn't solve the problem. ALSO READ: Budget 3.0: not austerity budget, but a redistributive budget 'This initiative is expected to motivate 15 000 public service employees to apply for early retirement in 2025/26 and 2026/27, with R5.5 billion allocated to support the programme', says National Treasury Director-General Dr Duncan Pieterse. Initially, at R11 billion, the early retirement was to extend to 30 000 employees and translate to a R2 billion year cost saving. 'We halved the provision and so halved the number of employees who will benefit,' says Pieterse at a media briefing before Godongwana delivered his speech. Early retirement costs will come up to R5.5 billion for the two years. The government will spend R2.2 billion in the first year of implementation and then proceed to spend R3.3 billion in 2026/27. 'The March 2025 Budget Review provides details on key fiscal reforms, including a longer-term fiscal anchor and the reactivation of early retirement without penalties to support a sustainable public-service wage bill. These reforms are in progress,' says Pieterse. ALSO READ: Godongwana cuts government spending to offset VAT shortfall Hefty public wage bill The public sector wage bill has weighed heavily on the fiscus for years, and attempts to rein it in have been largely unsuccessful. Moneyweb reported that SA's wage bill breached R700 billion in 2023. Tabling the budget for the 2023/2024 financial year, Godongwana said he expects compensation for workers in the employ of the public service to reach R701.2 billion, surpassing a level he once thought would be reached in 2025. In 2019, former finance minister Tito Mboweni introduced a public sector salary freeze for three years in an effort to control the ballooning wages. But in the 2023/24 financial year, public service wages increased. Pieterse noted discussions with organised labour on the process for people to apply for early retirement are underway in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC). 'The allocation will be revisited on the conclusion of these consultations as part of the next budget process, although functions that are not parties to the PSCBC process – such as the Department of Defence – can proceed with implementation,' he says. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
TimesLIVE
21-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
We need to put our fiscal house in order: D-G Duncan Pieterse
Despite an underperforming economy and having this year's budget challenged twice from within the same cabinet in which he serves, finance minister Enoch Godongwana still has his real GDP growth projection on the upside for the medium-term. In his budget overview, he estimates South Africa's real GDP growth to be 1.4% in 2025, 1.6% in 2026 and 1.8% in 2027. This despite the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently slashing South Africa's GDP growth outlook to 1%. It must be noted, as Godongwana told parliament in March, that the National Treasury's domestic GDP growth figures have consistently outperformed external estimations . In the foreword to the latest budget overview, Treasury director-general Duncan Pieterse said the budget was being tabled in a difficult international environment, characterised by trade volatility and policy uncertainty. 'As global growth has faltered, South Africa's economic outlook has also weakened, with GDP expected to grow by only 1.4% in 2025. Global risk and economic weakness reinforce the need for us to put our fiscal house in order.' Pieterse said South Africa's fiscal strategy remained on course so the government could 'spend less on debt-service costs and more on critical public services'. The government still planned to stabilise debt in 2025/26 at 77.4% of GDP and Pieterse said signs of progress were already emerging. 'For the first time since the 2000s, government is consistently running a primary surplus, where revenue exceeds non-interest expenditure. In time, this growing surplus will reduce rising debt-service costs. 'These costs will consume 22c of every rand collected in revenue in 2025/26 — money that could be better spent to build fiscal shock absorbers and fund health, education and security. Structural reforms are laying the foundation for future prosperity.' He said transformative changes would make it easier for the state and private sector to invest in the critical infrastructure needed to build the economy and create much-needed jobs. 'Yet success hinges largely on a willingness to act on all roadblocks that stifle investment. This budget projects consolidated spending growth averaging 5.4% annually, from R2.4- trillion in 2024/25 to R2.81-trillion in 2027/28.' The director-general said revisions to the March 2025 budget review projections reduce anticipated revenue and spending, but departments largely retain their baselines and critical service delivery areas are protected. 'Major reforms to state spending and the budget process are also under consideration. Public spending is inefficient. Previous spending reviews have identified tens of billions of rand in potential savings from poorly performing programmes that can be redirected in future budgets.'
The South African
07-05-2025
- The South African
Betrayal behind closed doors: K9 Patrol Pet Army founder arrested
Jamie Pieterse – founder of the so-called 'K9 Patrol Pet Army' – and co-accused Marizelle Swanepoel were arrested following a raid on a Kirstenhof property that exposed appalling scenes of animal cruelty. Pieterse attempted to evade the law and was later arrested in Scarborough by the City of Cape Town Traffic Services. Narcotics were also found in his possession at the time of his arrest. Jamie Pieterse was arrested by City of Cape Town Traffic Services in Scarborough after trying to flee. Image: SPCA WARNING: The following video and images may upset sensitive readers Earlier that day, SPCA Inspectors – armed with a warrant obtained from the Wynberg Magistrate's Court – accompanied by Kirstenhof SAPS, descended on the property. Their entry was obstructed by co-accused Swanepoel, who stalled authorities for over seven minutes , claiming not to have the keys. It was only after she was warned of immediate arrest that the gates were finally opened. She was further caught attempting to untie one of the dogs in a clear effort to defeat the ends of justice before SPCA Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse intervened. What the SPCA team discovered inside was harrowing. Outside, five adult dogs were found tethered to short chains or ropes, without access to clean drinking water. Puppies were confined to a small pen, while a dog was tied to a tap. Another dog was found tethered inside a pen, its space so restricted that it could barely move. In the kitchen, a pitbull stood alone in filth. In the bathroom, three dogs were crammed in with piles of faeces, urine, and decaying rubbish – without a drop of water. Another three dogs were discovered locked in a separate room. Behind a urine-soaked couch, one cat and three more sick puppies were uncovered in equally horrible conditions, surrounded by faeces, urine, vomit, putrid water, and rotting food. But the horror didn't end there. Outside, inspectors found plastic tubs of discoloured black-green water filled with koi and Nile Tilapia fish – a listed invasive species under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act. These were being kept without a valid permit. In total, SPCA Inspectors rescued 13 dogs, 8 puppies, 1 cat, and 3 tubs of fish from this house of horrors. Both Pieterse and Swanepoel are now facing a range of serious charges, including: – And contravening environmental legislation by unlawfully keeping invasive alien species. – Multiple counts under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, including neglect, chaining and confining animals in cruel conditions, denying access to water, and failure to provide veterinary care; – Obstruction of justice in terms of Section 8(4) of the Animals Protection Act; – Violations of the City of Cape Town Animal Keeping By-law, for keeping excessive numbers of unsterilised dogs; Both suspects were arrested. The animals are now safely in the care of the SPCA where they are receiving urgent treatment and rehabilitation. On Monday, 5 May, the two suspects appeared in the Wynberg Magistrates' Court, following a weekend spent in police holding cells. The matter was postponed until Thursday, 8 May, at which time the accused are expected to formally apply for bail. Both are being represented by a private attorney. The SPCA has confirmed it will be opposing bail. It is important to note that this is not Jamie Pieterse's first brush with the law. In March 2025, the SPCA laid charges of animal cruelty against him after he attempted to treat a dog's torn ear by gluing it back together with super glue – without any pain relief, sterilisation, or proper veterinary knowledge. Video footage showed the dog, named Pablo, yelping in pain as Pieterse and co restrained him and forced his mouth shut during the botched 'treatment.' This disturbing footage, which clearly documented the dog's suffering, was instrumental in securing charges under both the Animals Protection Act and the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, since Pieterse is not registered to perform veterinary procedures. Inspector Jeffrey Mfini intervened in that case, removing the dog and placing him under SPCA care. Pablo required nearly a month of treatment to recover from the trauma and injury, but thankfully made a full recovery and was joyfully reunited with his family. This prior case serves as a warning. While some individuals and groups may present themselves as animal saviours, their actions often tell a very different story. 'What we uncovered is not just a case of neglect – it's deliberate cruelty masked under the guise of animal rescue,' said Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse. 'It's heartbreaking to think of the pain these animals endured in silence. We will not allow false rescuers to exploit animals for personal gain or attention. Justice will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law.' The SPCA has once again urged the public to be cautious. Before donating or supporting any 'rescue' group, ask questions, verify credentials, and look beyond the image. Good intentions do not justify cruelty. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
