The ANC welcomes the government's commitment to managing the budget deficit and containing public debt at sustainable levels. Changes to the Medium- Term Expenditure Framework result in the main budget deficit widening to 4,7% of GDP, in 2019-20; and then narrowing to 4,3% of GDP, by 2021-22. As a percentage of GDP, gross loan debt increases over the next three years and stabilises at 60,2% in 2023-24, which is marginally above the 2018 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, MTBPS, estimates.