ANC demands budget align with President Ramaphosa’s SONA pledges

The Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance Dr. Joe Maswanganyi.

The African National Congress (ANC) says it wants to hear how Finance minister Enoch Godongwana, will finance President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address plans, when he delivers his budget in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.

Godongwana will table this year’s proposed budget to MPs at the Dome structure, across Parliament.

The Domed is serving as the chamber until rebuilding on the precinct is complete.

The Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance Dr Joe Maswanganyi says, “We are looking forward to see the minister continue with infrastructure investment as a catalyst for growth, increased support for education, targeting ECD (Early Childhood Development) and strengthening the skills development programs, focus on supporting the Health Department to improve hospital facilities and capacities.”

He says, “ Budget should see to it that we increase the support for the security cluster and support for reforms announced by the president on issues like police, military deployment.”

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Dr. Mark Burke says the party expects this year’s budget cycle to be a lot more boring than last year.

In an unprecedented occurrence the budget was only accepted on the third tabling last year, following unhappiness among Government of National Unity (GNU) partners.

Burke says, “The DA expects a more boring budget and less bracket creeping. South Africans so overtaxed so we would like to see brackets and rebates brought in line with inflation…debt must have peaked and start coming down, first time since 2008…we cant have more bailouts of corrupt SOE’s and debt guarantees must also be brought under control.”

ECONOMY

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) says it believes the country’s economy has a turned a corner.

PA MP Ashley Sauls, says they are looking forward to hear how Godongwana will build on a stronger rand and low inflation and how that will impact on ordinary people.

Sauls says, “Not just strong rand an low inflation, how translate to micro economy to the person on ground, must speak to jobs, tax incentives for labour intensive industry, expansion of youth employment subsidies to cut youth 32% unemployment rate and the 36% youth unemployment rate.”