Residents of Kimberley in the Northern Cape are looking forward to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s maiden Budget Speech which they hope will bring some relief to their struggles to put food on the table for their families.
As food prices go up, the unemployment rate has also increased. The current unemployment rate in the Northern Cape stands at 28.7%.
Dinizulu Mhlongo who owns a butchery in Galeshewe township says unemployment affects businesses negatively.
He says the people who support their businesses are losing jobs.
“If the people do not have money they won’t be able to come and support us in our businesses and our business has gone bad since the time of COVID-19. People are struggling, really struggling. So I would like to also advise our government to think about having some kind of job creation. We have a lot of potholes in our streets. I’m sure our government and municipalities can take those [unemployed] people in the streets and give them those jobs to close [fix] our potholes,” adds Mhlongo.
Small business owners in Kimberley hope Budget will bring financial relief:
Resuscitation small town’s economy
Meanwhile, residents of Lephalale in Limpopo want Godongwana to speak about measures that will lead to the resuscitation of the small town’s economy.
Small businesses in Lephalale have seen a drastic decline in opportunities since the tapering down of construction at the Medupi power station.
Some residents of Lephalale say the Minister must announce plans to create jobs.
“We expect Mr Godongwana to tell us about job creation. As the President has been given them the power to create such jobs, but for Godongwana is just a nightmare.”
“My hope is that there could be more jobs, as young people you know, most of us come from colleges or varsities.”
The video below previews the Budget Speech:
Expectations in Eastern Cape
Residents of Makhwaleni in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape have high expectations as the nation eagerly awaits Godongwana’s delivery of his Budget Speech.
They hope the Minister will set aside money for the implementation of the long-awaited Umzimvubu water project.
The multi-billion-rand project includes the construction of the Laleni, Ntabelanga and Makhwaleni dams.
Thousands of job opportunities will also be created through this project.
The unemployed youth in the village are pinning their hopes on Godongwana
Households in the OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Joe Gqabi districts stand to benefit from the project.
A local traditional leader, Nkosithandile Jiba, says they want the dam to be completed as soon as possible.
“In the Minister’s Budget Speech, we would like him to include the Umzimvubu Water Project because the President [Cyril Ramaphosa] only mentions Laleni Dam in Tsolo. He did not mention Makhwaleni [during SONA] as it had already started and a lot of work has been done there. We don’t know why they don’t include it in the budget,” adds Jiba.-Additional reporting by Fundiswa Mhlekude
