The GOOD Party will support this Appropriations Bill because it puts money in the hands of those who need it now, through social grants and frontline services.

But this is not the end of the road. It’s a stepping stone and a test of our commitment to a more just and inclusive South Africa.

In a country of deep inequality, mass unemployment, and stubborn poverty, our budget must do more than keep the lights on. It must turn the tide. That is why we use this moment to restate our call for a Basic Income Grant. We cannot keep sidelining the poor with slogans about future growth while they are starving in the present.

A Basic Income Grant is not radical. What is radical is that, in a country where half the population lives in poverty, we still haven’t guaranteed a basic income support for adults with no work, no prospects, and no safety net.

So yes, we support this Bill, because millions depend on the grants and services it funds. But we do so with a challenge to bring us a budget in 2026 that includes a Basic Income Grant.

It is time for all ministers to get to work and grow the economy.