'Most Notably' (29 June 2026)

Each year, with monotonous regularity, Parliament's National Assembly and NCOP Appropriations Committees process the latest Appropriation Bill in a series of meetings smacking of procedural irregularity. In the hope of understanding why the powers that be ignore such an obvious blunder, this week's 'Most Notably' takes a closer look.

That's bearing in mind that, for starters, no annual Appropriation Bill has ever been amended – as far as can be ascertained. So, at best, the process tends to come across as little more than a box-ticking exercise, procedural irregularities notwithstanding.

Allocating revenue to national departments and their entities for the prevailing financial year, traditionally the Bill is tabled with the annual Budget and sent to the National Assembly's Appropriation Committee. Which is where the procedural compromise begins. Because the NCOP Appropriations Committee begins working on the Bill long before its National Assembly counterpart has completed the necessary process.

This is starkly illustrated by a Parliamentary Monitoring Group timeline of the 2026/27 Appropriation Bill's passage through Parliament:

• 25 February 2026: the Bill was tabled and sent to the National Assembly's Appropriations Committee, which was then briefed by various national government departments, beginning with National Treasury.

• 27 May 2026: National Treasury and the Financial & Fiscal Commission briefed the NCOP Appropriations Committee on the Bill (a week before the National Assembly committee held its public hearings).

• 3 June 2026: the National Assembly committee held public hearings on the Bill.

• 10 June 2026: the NCOP committee held public hearings on the Bill.

• 12 June 2026: the National Assembly committee adopted the Bill and tabled its report in the House.

• 17 June 2026: during a meeting of the NCOP committee, National Treasury responded to input received during the committee's public hearings.

• 23 June 2026: the National Assembly passed the Bill, which was then sent to the NCOP committee for concurrence.

• 24 June 2026: the NCOP committee adopted the Bill and tabled its report in the House,

• 26 June 2026: the NCOP passed the Bill, which was sent to the President for signature.

So, the NCOP committee's support staff began working on their committee's report long before the Bill was passed by the National Assembly and sent to that committee for concurrence – possibly so the Bill could be passed before Parliament went into recess for its long winter break.

Perhaps the cost of the NCOP leg of the process should be calculated – and serious thought given to the affordability of continuing what is essentially an annual charade. Because, from where we sit, it adds no value whatsoever to anything.

Until next Monday ...

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