By 
The Free State Legislature has today, 11 April 2025, kicked-off its departmental budget speeches which are to be subjected to debate by opposition parties before voting for them, the Budget Vote speeches will run until 15 May 2025.
The budget votes for the department follow the tabling of the budget speech by the Free State MEC for Treasury Hon. Ketso Makume. In his speech, he presented budget that will meet the human development needs of the country as articulated in the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) whose main thrust is to drive inclusive economic growth, reduce poverty and unemployment, and tackle the high cost of living, while building a capable, ethical, and developmental state.
The Free State Province is aligned to the attainment of the country theme “A Nation that works for all”.
On 18 March 2025, Makume presented the 2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, where he said the province estimates to spend more than R141.4 billion. He further went on to allocate funds for each department.
For Social Sector he allocated R109.7 billion over the 2025 MTEF period. For Education he allocated Education is allocated R18.8 billion in 2025/26, R19.6 billion in 2026/27 and R20.4 billion in 2027/28. In total the department is estimated to spend more than R59 billion over the MTEF period ahead.
For the Department of Health he allocated R14.1 billion in 2025/26, R14.7 billion in 2026/27 and R15.4 billion in 2027/28. In total the department is estimated to spend just over R44.3 billion over the 2025 MTEF period ahead.
Department of Social Development received R1.3 billion in 2025/26, R1.4 billion in 2026/27 and R1.4 billion in 2027/28. Over the MTEF period, the department is projected to spend more than R4.2 billion.
The Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation is allocated a total allocation of R665.5 million in 2025/26, R685.5 million in 2026/27 and R707 million in 2027/28. Over the MTEF the department is projected to spend more than R2 billion.
For Economic and Infrastructure Cluster, the MEC allocated R14 billion.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure received R2.3 billion in 2025/26, R2.3 billion in 2026/27 and R2.4 billion in 2027/28. Over the MTEF the department is estimated to spend R7.1 billion.
The Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport is allocated R3.7 billion in 2025/26, R3.2 billion in 2026/27 and R3.3 billion in 2027/28. In total the department is estimated to spend R10.3 billion over the MTEF.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is allocated R883 million in 2025/26, R911 million in 2026/27 and R949 million in 2027/28. Therefore, over the MTEF period ahead the department is estimated to spend R2.7 billion.
The Department of Human Settlement is allocated R1.3 billion in 2025/26, R1.2 billion in 2026/27 and R1.2 billion in 2027/28. The allocation mainly emanates from conditional grants and thus over the MTEF period, the department is estimated to spend R3.7 billion.
The Department for Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs is allocated R696 million for 2025/26, R729 million for 2026/27 and R752 million for 2027/28. Over the MTEF period, the department is estimated to spend R2.1 billion.
The Premier’s Office is allocated R633 million in 2025/26, R649 million in 2026/27 and R658 million in 2027/28. Over the MTEF ahead the Office of the Premier is estimated to spend R1.9 billion.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) is allocated R447 million in 2025/26, R462 million in 2026/27 and R478 million in 2027/28. Over the MTEF the department is expected to spend more than R1.3 billion.
Treasury is allocated R383 million in 2025/26; R398 million in 2026/27 and R413 million in 2027/28. In total Provincial Treasury is estimated to spend R1.1 billion over the MTEF period.
And Free State Legislature is allocated R323 million in 2025/26; R345 million in 2026/27 and R386 million in 2027/28. In total, the Legislature is estimated to spend just above R1 billion over the MTEF period ahead.
The Department of Agriculture is set to present its budget speech today at 10am. The budget votes will be held at the Chambers of the Fourth Raadsaal and each department will present their programmes to be implemented in the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
