By 
The Free State MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism Mr Ketso Makume will on Tuesday, 18 March 2025, deliver his 2025/6 budget speech at the Free State Legislature in Bloemfontein.
As the MEC takes to the podium to table his budget speech, many a person, business community, investors and government departments will be listening with anticipation to hear whether MEC Makume will deliver a budget that favours their respective industries and investment opportunities.
The Free State Province Premier Ms MaQueen Letsoha-Mthae during her State of the Province Address (SOPA) on 21 February 2025; set the bar high, positioning the Free State as an investment destination with the aim to grow and create an inclusive economy, create jobs, reduce unemployment and inequality.
Based on the position the province has taken, we are likely to see a budget focused on growing the economy of the province, this would include a sizeable budget that will support SMMEs, and an investment into township economy; as these are key players in the creation of jobs and contribute significantly in the eradication of poverty.
MEC Makume is also likely to focus on reviving and growing the industries with the province, including manufacturing, which has featured largely in attracting investors to the province. This focus will also see a hefty investment into industrial parks across the Free State; with this, it expected that the Free State Development Corporation (FDC) will receive a sizeable chunk of the budget that will empower it to carry out its mandate to support small businesses and attract investment into the province.
The primary sector is important as it contributes a lot towards the province’s GDP, though mining is on a decline, the province believes that the sector still has more to give and it is not a sunset industry as per popular sentiment; though the MEC might focus to this end, a budget to repurpose some of the mines might rescue the industry.
Makume is likely to give more money to agriculture, as it is the province’s star industry that contributes 6% to the economy, this sector, for years has held the fort for domestic economy, even when the province’s economy was not performing well; agriculture always came out on top.
We are likely to see more investment towards Agri-Parks, Farmer Production Support Units, Agri Hubs, and Rural-Urban Market Centres.
Central to any economy, is its infrastructure, here a major focus is expected on fixing and maintaining roads across the province; as this is vital for the transit of goods and services. One can expect an announcement that government is partnering with the private sector in building and maintain road infrastructure and other strategic infrastructure.
A number of national roads pass through the province, translating into billions of Rands passing through the province, the province has to find a way to capture some of the lucrative business passing through the Free State.
The Free State is currently contributing between 4.9% and 5% towards the country’s GDP, and the Premier said the province will be on an aggressive drive to grow its economy, attract investors, improve the quality of life, and reduce poverty and inequality. All of these are to be reflected in the budget speech.
MEC Ketso Makume will table his budget speech at 14:00.
