The civil rights organisation AfriForum is of the opinion that the latest budget announcement by Tito Mboweni, Minister of Finance, once again underwrites that the government does not have the ability to govern South Africa efficiently.
The economy simply cannot press forward under the pressure of unreliable electricity supply. “The state should have taken drastic measures years ago to bring an end to load shedding. Apart from the fact that Eskom needs to be privatised, other electricity providers should also be allowed to compete in the sector,” says Dr Eugene Brink, AfriForum’s Strategic Advisor for Community Affairs.
“The increase in electricity tariffs, some taxes and the fuel levy is simply immoral. Tax payers are already struggling to make ends meet. It is absolutely unacceptable that the state is demanding more money from citizens, yet refuses to take stringent action against corruption and misappropriation of funds,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Manager of Campaigns.
AfriForum also says the Minister once again failed to take adequate steps to decrease the enormous expenditure on state wages as promised several times in the past.
The budget speech also clearly indicates that the Minister regards it as an achievement to pay increasingly more social grants, rather than creating a stable environment to enable the economy to grow, resulting in more job opportunities. “There are currently more people dependent on social grants than there are tax payers, and we are heading for a disaster,” says Broodryk.
The state’s aimless plans to restore the economy once again highlights why people should rather invest in their own local economy, thus empowering and strengthening their communities.