Provinces and Municipalities - Spending curbs ahead
As dysfunctional as some of SA's provinces and municipalities are, they remain crucial centres of spending. But in the current financial year, they will find their spending capacity weighed down by the public-service wage bill and rising prices of bulk water and electricity.
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Education & Training - It's not just about money
Finance minister Pravin Gordhan says education remains SA's top priority. Basic education gets the lion's share of the allocation, R127bn. The rest is split between tertiary education (R23,3bn), education administration (R9bn) and further education & training colleges (R5,7bn). This is up by more than R17bn from last year.
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Health - Pragmatic spending
The number of new HIV/Aids patients will grow by more than 400 000/year, for the next 10 years. Addressing this issue - only one of the priority areas on government's new 10-point plan for health - signals the scale of the problem s facing the national health ministry.
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Justice - Looking at roots of crime
Departing from his predecessor's style of addressing socioeconomic concerns, finance minister Pravin Gordhan's failure to detail crime-fighting efforts is a missed opportunity to reassure SA and the world. Crime is one of government's five priorities. More detail would have been expected, says International Securities Studies analyst Johann Burger.
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Agriculture - Out of sync with people
Finance minister Pravin Gordhan's maiden budget speech was indicative of a "disconnect" between government and the people of SA, says Ferdi Meyer. The agricultural economist at Pretoria University adds: "There is a huge gap between what government commits to and what it delivers.
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Spending - The road to hell is paved
More jobs mean stronger demand for office, factory and shop space. Greater savings and lower inflation will purchase yields and raise property values. But even if government's aims become a reality, the benefits will come in the medium to long term.
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Home Affairs - The influence of soccer
With the soccer World Cup tournament just four months away, the department of home affairs will be a key ministry - handling the huge influx of soccer fans into the country.
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International Relations - Doing more with less
International affairs & co-operation, the rebranded foreign affairs department, has a smaller budget and a broader mandate. The shrinking of the department's budget allocation is fairly substantial - from R5,3bn last year, to R4,8bn for 2010/2011.
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Infrastructure - Shift in emphasis
The budget response to infrastructure investment needs is muted compared with budget increases in other areas. Finance minister Pravin Gordhan says sustaining high levels of public and private investment is part of the strategy for SA's "new growth path".
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Defence - Danger looming
Politically, the SA National Defence Force was probably more vulnerable than any other government department or recipient of state spending. The view is widespread that the country does not really need an army, navy or air force.
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