President Ramaphosa Slams Government Departments for Failing to Spend Allocated Budgets
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has called out government departments for failing to spend their allocated budgets
- Ramaphosa said that public funds must be fully used to improve the lives of South African citizens
- The president stated that municipal oversight structures should keep a close eye on how money at local government are spent
President Cyril Ramaphosa has lamented the fact that government departments do not spend their allocated budgets. Speaking at the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Boksburg on Saturday, 13 September 2025, Ramaphosa said that public funds must be spent to improve the lives of South Africans.
Source: Getty Images
What did Ramaphosa say?
The president said that the ANC is determined to win back the support it lost in the last elections. The party is reviewing the state of local government. He said that the absence of accountability for corrupt and incompetent officials is a major part of municipal failures.
The president said that municipal oversight structures should watch how money is being used in the local government. He said that these structures must ensure that corruption does not occur and that services are being delivered to the citizens.
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Government departments to spend allocated budgets
Ramaphosa called the failure by government departments to spend the allocated budgets treasonous. This comes after the Gauteng government underspend its budget by R1.8 billion in the last financial year.
He said that instead of returning funds to the national treasury, the public funds must be used to improve lives in South Africa. Ramaphosa stated that Parliament expects money to be spent when they adopt the budgets.
South Africans weigh in
Social media users shared their opnions regarding what the president said.
@TheFace34 said:
"Has Cyril Ramaphosa checked the poverty and unemployment numbers that his government has increased by millions?"
@NtshengedzeniMu said:
"ANC has improved life of amaqabane cause most of them are millionaires through looting of state coffers."
@GriffinForGold said:
"The ANC president admits he has widened access to basic services so wide that it is not accessible anymore."
@jokerunl said:
"Millions of foreigners."
@BLMn18060509 said:
"Only for the connected few and illegal foreigners."
Source: Getty Images
Other storeis about municipal failures reported by Briefly News
- COGTA warned that underperforming municipalities will be dissolved and re-elections held. Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa stated that evaluations will be based on performance, not political leadership.
- KwaZulu-Natal municipalities have failed to pay over R2 billion to the country’s embattled power utility, Eskom. KZN Finance MEC Peggy Nkonyeni said payment for services is essential to ensure delivery.
- The Water and Sanitation Department is taking action against municipalities found guilty of non-compliance. Minister Pemmy Majodina stated that 50.61% of municipalities were facing criminal proceedings.
- Nonpayments made by municipalities in South Africa are burdening Rand Water. Municipalities owe the State-Owned Entity R7.7 billion in unpaid bills, and if this continues, Rand Water may have to shut down.
- The Democratic Alliance's Constituency head, Kingsol Chabalala, slammed the Emuleni Local Municipality for spending millions on overtime. The Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Jacob Mamabolo, revealed that the municipality spent millions on overtime in five years.
Source: Briefly News
