National Treasury emphasised the need to prioritise the attainment of efficiencies in resource allocation to strengthen service delivery. The fiscal framework shows that consolidated government expenditure was R1.15 trillion compared to consolidated government revenues of R985 billion. National Treasury expects the deficit to decline and narrow to 3.1 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2015/16 as the economy improves and government expenditure moderates. National Treasury envisages that expenditure reviews will increase efficiencies and eliminate waste.