If South Africa is to break its entrenched low-growth economic cycle, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana needs to set a bold new course for the country when he delivers the national budget in February 2026.

South Africa faces an escalating water crisis driven by infrastructure decay, under-investment and fiscal constraints.

When taps run dry or refuse piles up, the frustration is immediate. But behind most service breakdowns lies a financial breakdown. Municipalities have a profound responsibility — they must provide clean water, collect waste, build new roads and maintain existing ones, and other essentials, often with limited resources affected by the socio-economic climate.

South Africa’s municipalities are caught in a cycle of service delivery protests, audit failures and declining public trust. Yet, a tool designed to help break this cycle is often sidelined as a compliance burden. That tool is the Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts (mSCOA).

At GovTech2025, the future of South Africa's digital economy was framed by two powerful, interconnected forces: the tremendous opportunity of the Data & AI Economy and the critical challenge of Cybersecurity. At Ntiyiso Consulting Group, we see these not as separate issues, but as two sides of the same coin. To thrive, organisations must innovate boldly while building resilience meticulously.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s presented his 2025 Budget Speech last week and the key takeout is that higher prices are in store for South Africans, and many would do well to reassess and revise their household budgets to maintain financial stability. But let me take a step back and summarise Godongwana’s budget proposals and how they will impact the ordinary South African.