The Public Service Accountability Monitor’s, Zukiswa Kota says Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana could have considered credible alternatives rather than going for social service budget cuts.
This follows this week’s tabling of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement.
There has been growing opposition in some quarters to continued cuts to social spending.
The Monitor has put the blame squarely on government and its failure to curb what the Monitor says is government’s intentional erosion of public finances through fraud, corruption and dismal financial management, particularly at the provincial and municipal levels.
Kota says they are calling on cabinet to give responses and justifications for their policy choices and budget adjustments.
“There are many economists and others of our partners who have over the years presented what we feel are credible alternatives, particularly to cutting social spending. So, we do feel in those instances the cabinet have been presented with options and certainly the very least presented with opportunities to better engage the public about those trade off and why some decisions over others are made.”
Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement paints a bleak picture of economic outlook and govt finances:
