The general secretary of the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) Dennis George has commended Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan for his focus on small businesses. This comes after Gordhan delivered his 2014 National Budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday.
George says the incentive scheme on small business is impressive, but calls for a monitoring system that will safeguard successes of this promising initiative.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the whole budget is positive under present, challenging economic conditions, but also pointed out that if the economy improves he would like to see the Gordhan do more on social spending and job creation.
“The Minister has done a brilliant job especially in health care,” adds Motsoaledi.
A social activist, Nkosikhulule Nyembezi says he welcomes the preservation of social grants, particularly the increase in social grant recipients.
Nyembezi hopes the ANC led government accelerates these initiatives and not announcing these plans as part of their election campaigning.
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe says this budget confirms that ANC is building on what has been already achieved.
Freedom Front leader Pieter Mulder was stern in his judgment of the budget, saying it was one that was obviously focused on the fact that we going into elections and that is apparent by no increase in income taxes.
A part of the DA’s reaction to the Budget Speech reads, As usual the Minister made the right noises about implementing the National Development Plan (NDP) in the future, but we have had the plan in place for a year-and-a-half, and government has little to report on actual implementation, especially when it comes to:
• Holding teachers to account for their performance;
• Removing of trade barriers;
• Increasing infrastructure spending – which is currently stuck at 7% – to 10% of GDP;
• Regulatory reform to boost business growth;
• The introduction of strong incentives for Special Economic Zones; and
• Public service reform.
– By Thuthuka Maseko
