The National Treasury is surprised at the statement by the Congress of SA Trade Unions that the policy processes around the Budget effectively exclude the public.
Two months before the tabling of the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, on August 30, the Minister of Finance, Mr Trevor Manuel, The Deputy Minister, Mandisi Mpahlwa, the Director-General of the Treasury, Ms Maria Ramos and several officials from the Treasury provided an extensive briefing to Nedlac on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, which forms the basis of both the MTBPS and the Budget. This was under the Public Finance and Monetary Policy Chamber of NEDLAC.
COSATU was represented by the Labour Convenor of the same Chamber, together with other representatives.
In the workshop, the Director-General spelt out, in detail, the priorities of the MTEF: economic and social infrastructure; social services; criminal justice sector; and municipal restructuring. Following the DG's presentation, the workshop engaged in extensive discussions, where NEDLAC made both oral and written submissions for consideration by the National Treasury, in the process of developing the MTBPS.
All of these inputs were critical in the consideration of our final draft of the MTBPS and a such area are strongly reflected in the MTBPS.
In the next few weeks, the Public Finance Chamber plans to a follow up session to consider the contents of the MTBPS, as part of its work programme for 2000.
We believe that South Africa, with its three-year Medium Term expenditure Framework, has one of the most transparent budgeting processes in the world.
We have always been, and remain ready, to listen to inputs on the Budget from the representatives of labour, business, and the broader public.