Educate employees about hefty tax obligations with two-pot system

House Chair, the ACDP believes in following the scriptural injunction: “Render unto Caesar what is due unto Caesar, and unto God what is due unto God.” These tax bills are of a highly technical nature and largely seek to enhance compliance. We commend SARS for the...

BRRR: Office of the Chief Justice

Speaker, there is a crisis in the judiciary due to a critical shortage of judges which leads to alarming backlogs and delays. In Gauteng High Courts, more than 120,000 case numbers are issued every year to be dealt with by 80 or less judges, and this excludes the...

BRRR on Justice and Constitutional Development

Speaker, the ACDP would like to wish all presiding officers, members and staff, a very happy and blessed New Year. We also congratulate the Matrics on their good results. This year, as we continue to rebuild Parliament, may Parliament be a tree of life; the leaves of...

2025: An extremely busy year with many challenges

Madam Deputy Speaker, it has indeed been an extremely busy year, with many challenges—starting with a much-contested Budget which illustrated our maturing democracy. And it is noteworthy that the recently passed Revised Fiscal Framework and revenue proposals did not...

South African tourism beset with governance problems

Madam Deputy Speaker, the ACDP believes that tourism has the potential to create far more jobs and earn foreign currency given the beauty of our country and its wonderful people. South African tourism, however, is beset with governance problems as set out in this...

Cut poor-performing education programmes such as CSE

Madam Deputy Speaker, the Department of Basic Education received a staggering R32 billion in its budget. It is taxpayers who ultimately paid for this amount, but, are they receiving value for their money? We submit not, given the low rates of literacy, the low rates...

Women are the backbone of our families and communities

House Chair, the ACDP notes that social media and civil society have questioned whether resources truly reach vulnerable communities, particularly women in rural areas. The department’s core mandate is monitoring, evaluation, research, and coordination, yet it seems...

BRR Report on Small Business Development

House Chair, the ACDP has taken note of this Report of the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development which emphasises underspending on enterprise support programmes whilst administrative costs remain disproportionately high, raising concerns about whether...

SARS commended for higher-than-expected revenue collection

House Chair, this is basically a taxation bill that sets out rates and monetary amounts. In that regard, the ACDP would like to commend SARS for the higher-than-anticipated revenue collection—that revenue is set to exceed the budget estimates by a staggering R19.7...

Youth are not a statistic but the heartbeat of our future

Honourable House Chairperson, the P20 Youth Parliament report reminds us that the future of South Africa rests on the shoulders of its young people. In the report, the ACDP emphasised that youth development must be anchored in values, education, and inclusive economic...

ACDP supports the Public Service Amendment Bill

House Chair, the ACDP supports the Public Service Amendment Bill as an important step to ensuring a public administration that is professional, effective, and impartial as set out in section 195 of the Constitution. What is important is that it establishes a clear...

Land reform must be just, transparent, and economically sustainable

Land reform must be just, transparent, and economically sustainable

House Chairperson, In welcoming the opportunity to engage on this Budget Vote, the ACDP notes the R9.62 billion allocation to the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development for the 2026/27 financial year. While this figure appears substantial, the Portfolio...

CRL seeks to weaponise legislation to use against churches

CRL seeks to weaponise legislation to use against churches

House Chairperson, The ACDP is aware that based on a report submitted by the CRL Rights Commission, the National Security Strategy for 2024-2028 publicly identifies the “mushrooming of charismatic churches” as a domestic national-security concern. This places millions...

SANDF’s operational condition is now critical

SANDF’s operational condition is now critical

Chairperson, the ACDP rises in this budget vote fully cognisant of the severe financial constraints facing the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). This is nothing new. We have lamented this for many, many years, yet our voices and those of the Defence Force,...

Madlanga Commission commended for exposing serious corruption in SAPS

Madlanga Commission commended for exposing serious corruption in SAPS

House Chairperson, the Madlanga Commission exposed grave police corruption, and the ACDP commends the Specialised Task Team for concrete action in suspending 18 officers, with prosecutions already underway. It is a disgrace to note that community safety and policing...

SMMEs are our greatest potential source of job creation

SMMEs are our greatest potential source of job creation

House Chairperson, the ACDP is acutely aware that South Africa’s unemployment crisis remains one of the greatest threats to our economy, social stability and national dignity. Millions of South Africans, especially young people, remain excluded from meaningful...