"Government employees may have to wait until after the 2006 budget is passed before Congress can act on the proposal to raise their salary. With the snail-pace passage of the budget, they may be in for a very long wait," she said.

"House Bill No. 5013 and the Senate Bill No. 2196, which both propose the appropriation of over R13 billion to fund additional allowances for government workers, are in the nature of a supplemental appropriation to the general appropriations bill," Miriam said.

"Their passage will have to be deferred until after the 2006 budget is passed. At the rate we are going, we may pass the 2006 budget in 2007, which is ridiculous," Miriam said.

The senator said she fully supports the move to raise the monthly pay of government workers. "They have not received any increase since 2001."