Rights group blasts budget’s lack of GBV funding
A civil rights organisation has slammed the 2026 National Budget, saying not a single word or cent was specifically allocated to fighting violence against women and children.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tabled the budget in Parliament on Wednesday.
Action Society’s Juanita du Preez says that despite gender-based violence being declared a national crisis, it was met with a deafening silence in the minister’s address.
She says the government cannot claim safety is a priority while failing to fund what she describes as the country’s most urgent safety emergency.
Du Preez adds that if ending violence against women and children is truly a national priority.
It must be reflected in the budget through clear allocations, defined timelines and measurable outcomes.
" Crime statistics do not protect victims. Convictions do, and convictions require resources. If the government is serious about ending violence, it must fund investigations, forensic services, prosecutions, and victim support in a deliberate and measurable way; a budget reflects a government's priorities."
Meanwhile, the South African Federation of Trade Unions
https://www.ecr.co.za/news/news/workers-struggles-take-centre-stage-on-may-day/
has rejected the 2026 national budget, saying Godongwana celebrated narrowing deficits and stabilising debt ratios.Saftu’s Asive Dyani says for the working class, the unemployed, and communities facing collapsing services, this budget does not represent renewal.
" The most politically significant feature of the 2026 budget is the commitment to sustain primary surpluses, rising from 0.9% of GDP to 2.3% over the medium term. The government spending is a driver of demand. Sustaining primary surpluses reduces net fiscal injection into the economy."
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