The budget made provision for total consolidated revenue of R986.1 billion in 2013/14 rising to R1.205 trillion in 2015/16. On the contrary, consolidated government expenditure is projected to amount to R1.147 trillion in 2013/14 reaching R1.238 in 2015/16. This translates into a budget deficit of 4.5 per cent in 2013/14 and as a percentage of GDP. It is expected that revenue would recover alongside economic growth and moderate expenditure increases. National Treasury remains optimistic that as the economy starts to grow in 2015/16, the budget deficit as a percentage of GDP would decline to 3.1 per cent.