National Treasury Budget Office deputy director-general Edgar Sishi will step down at the end of March to take up a position at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Sishi joined Treasury in 2007 and has been an integral part of the senior leadership of the department for several years. He took over the Budget Office during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and has played a crucial role in navigating public finances through unprecedented challenges, Treasury states.

It adds that his leadership has helped to achieve the turning point in South Africa’s public finances that was evident in the 2026 Budget, with debt stabilising for the first time since before the 2008 global financial crisis. The improvement in public finances will support faster growth and lower borrowing costs, while protecting the future sustainability of social spending.

“The National Treasury thanks Edgar for his dedicated service to the department and to South Africa and congratulates him on his new post. The departure of a senior official is always challenging for the institution, but Edgar has built a strong team at the Budget Office and I have full confidence in their ability to maintain the very high standards set under his stewardship," director-general Dr Duncan Pieterse comments.

Treasury points out that, from April 1, three chief directors with direct exposure to the Budget process will act as Budget Office deputy director-general on a rotational basis, starting with Marumo Maake, who was previously acting head of the Budget Office from April to October 2025.

Treasury says it will begin a recruitment process for a new permanent Budget Office deputy director-general as soon as possible.