The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) is rallying behind its partner organisation, Real Reform for Early Childhood Development (ECD), advocating for a substantial boost in funding for the sector during the National Budget Speech rescheduled for 12 March 2025.
According to the LRC’s communications officer Puleng Mosia, this moment presents a vital chance for the Government of National Unity (GNU) to uphold the rights and welfare of the nation’s youngest citizens, emphasising that the its focus on ECD is indeed a step towards creating a fair and equitable society.
For the first time in the 30 years of democracy, the budget presentation by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on 19 February 2025 was postponed after a last-minute Cabinet meeting where GNU partners pushed back against a surprise 2% hike in the VAT. It has been rescheduled for 12 March 2025.
As the GNU prepares to fine-tune the 2025 National Budget, Real Reform for ECD has expressed optimism over a set of now-withdrawn budget proposals aimed at revolutionising early childhood services in South Africa. The proposals included a historic R10 billion allocation for ECD subsidies, along with a R210 million increase for the ECD infrastructure grant, marking a record enhancement of funding for ECD programmes in the country’s history.
“The proposed R10 billion, an addition to the existing R4 billion annual subsidy, would dramatically elevate the ECD subsidy from R17, where it has stagnated since 2019, to R24 per child per day,” Real Reform for ECD said.
“This adjustment is critical as it would enable ECD practitioners to provide not just quality care, but also essential nutrition and early learning opportunities for young children, particularly against the backdrop of escalating inflation. Moreover, this funding would be instrumental in ensuring that approximately 700,000 children from low-income households, who currently are unable to benefit from the ECD subsidy, gain access by 2027/28.”
Real Reform for ECD added, “After years of minor and incremental funding increases, these proposals make tangible the repeated commitments of President Cyril Ramaphosa to support our youngest generation to thrive, leaving no child behind.”
In the National Budget Speech on 12 March 2025, Real Reform for ECD urged National Treasury to follow through with its proposed injection of R10 billion into the subsidy and R210 million into infrastructure and registration support. The organisation also called for a follow through with the increase in funding for the Department of Basic Education’s early nutrition pilot, from R197 million in 2024/25 to R336 million in 2025/26, as well as plans to increase the child support grant from R530 to R580 per month from 01 April 2025, and commit to further increases to ensure parity with the fiod poverty line, currently R798 per month.
Additionally, it called for revenue and spending proposals that do not further burden low-income households, and support for the implementation of a double-discounted list of 10 budget-friendly food items to promote maternal and child nutrition.
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