Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has urged the public to be patient as government works to implement recently announced reductions in fees, saying the changes cannot take effect immediately without the necessary legal processes.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet briefing this week, Ncube said while citizens expect instant implementation following the announcement, the process requires time to align existing laws with the new policy decisions.
“Once we announce that we’ve reduced fees, the public expects almost immediate implementation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that,” he said.
The minister explained that legal experts must first review and amend existing statutory instruments to ensure the changes are properly effected within the law. This includes identifying which regulations need to be repealed, revised, or replaced.
He noted that similar adjustments in the past had taken months before being fully implemented, but assured the public that the government remains committed to the decision.
“The government has made a decision. We are not reversing these decisions. We will implement them through the force of law,” Ncube said.
He emphasised that the issuance of new statutory instruments (SIs) is a critical step before any fee changes can be enforced, adding that implementation cannot proceed without this legal framework.
Ncube said once the legal processes are complete, the revised fees will take effect, urging citizens to wait for the official publication of the statutory instruments.
