During his maiden Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) delivered on Thursday, finance minister Enoch Godongwana emphasised that he shared much of the ideology and fiscal restraint of his predecessor Tito Mboweni.
Godongwana joked that the only difference between Mboweni and him was their taste in shoes.
“I wear better shoes than you,” quipped Godongwana at his contemporary.
But for commentator Justice Malala the past 12 years at the treasury department has seen much tinkering from the men who have occupied the finance ministry portfolio but achieving very little while in the job.
Malala believes that Godongwana should distance himself from Mboweni instead of highlighting their perceived similarities. (Subscribe to read)
“… my sincere advice to the affable Godongwana is: run as far away from Mboweni’s legacy as fast as you can. After three years of being frustrated by his cabinet colleagues and their outmoded statist claptrap, Mboweni’s tenure was a failure,” writes Malala.
While Hilary Joffe is worried about the questions the policy statement leaves unanswered like the complicated arithmetic behind achieving the ambitious growth estimates while also reconciling debt reduction and cutting the deficit down. (Subscribe to read)
And Xhanti Payi writes SA’s tax revenue as a percentage of debt is down to 36.2% compared to 51% in 2019, which means if we took all the money collected from tax and paid off our debt it would take us three years rather than the two years it would have taken us two years ago. Our ability to reduce the deficit is shrinking.
Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions, analysis, and editorials:
Ralph Mathekga | You get a position, and you get a position. Everyone gets a position – News24 (Subscribe to read)
FW de Klerk’s integrity left at the TRC – The Citizen (Subscribe to read)
White South Africans must not follow De Klerk’s example and apologise for apartheid but commit to restoration – Mail & Guardian
A little man in a big moment – New Frame
Thabi Leoka | Fiscal policy is Treasury’s job – service delivery is not – Fin24 (Subscribe to read)
Government must stub out illegal tobacco trade with track-and-trace tech, says JTI – Business Day
GIL SPERLING | Property tech is taking over, but agents still have a home in the market – Sunday Times Daily (Register to read)
