22 May 2025
SADTU’S REACTION TO THE 2025/26 BUDGET SPEECH
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) notes the revised 2025/26 Budget. presented by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana. We welcome the decision to withdraw the proposed VAT increase. As we stated in response to the March budget, such an increase would have imposed an additional burden on the majority of South Africans who are already grappling with high levels of unemployment and rising costs of food, electricity, water, and transport.
While we welcome this development, we are however concerned about the increase in the fuel levy, which will result in higher transport costs and further negatively impact the poor and the working class. We are also disappointed that the basket of zero-rated food items was not expanded.
The core funding for basic education is set at R1 04trillion baseline over the medium-term expenditure framework. An extra 9,5 billion is added over the medium term to ensure that qualified teachers remain in classrooms and to enable the hiring of additional staff as needed. This measure is critical for sustaining education quality and managing class sizes.
An additional R10 billion – which was maintained from the March budget – aims to expand access to Early Childhood Education (ECD) services. The increased funding boosts the ECD subsidy from R17 to R24 per child per day, which will benefit approximately 700 000 more children up to the age of five. This investment is laying a stronger foundation for lifelong learning and progression through the education system.
Support is provided for both university education and technical and vocational education training (TVET), helping to ensure that higher education institutions can deliver quality instruction and research.
The allocation focusses on skills development and community education. It is intended to broaden access to higher education opportunities through mechanisms like the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and to bolster technical education that supports industry needs.
Education is a public good and a catalyst for innovation and development. We still call for more funding for education to address infrastructure improvements.
On 23 April 2025, SADTU engaged in a national march to the National Treasury and the Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training to demand increased funding for education. Our demands included an end to austerity measures, reducing overcrowding, building more schools, hiring more teachers, and providing adequate teaching and learning materials.
We are concerned that the budget made no mention of school safety. Our schools are vandalised and robbed on daily basis. Learners bring to schools all assortments of dangerous weapons and the security personnel in schools do not have the skills nor resources to tackle these.
SADTU remains committed to quality public education, which we believe is only achievable if government adequately funds the sector. Funding education is not wasteful expenditure; it is an investment in South Africa’s future. It ensures the education and skilling of our youth, who will be key contributors to the country’s economic development.
We also welcome the government’s decision, in the current stagnant and weak economic outlook, to honour the public service wage agreement. Unlike in 2020 when government reneged on the 2018 agreement, this shows respect for the collective bargaining process.
Finally, we welcome the allocation of over R1 trillion over three years for public infrastructure spending as we hope it will create jobs in a country facing high unemployment rates.
ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat