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Articles on SA Budget 2016

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South Africans would have taken comfort if their finance minister had given assurances that there would be no more wasteful expenditure on South African Airways. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

South Africa’s 2016 budget lacked urgency and conviction

South Africa’s finance minister claimed that a number of initiatives were in place to ensure that policies are actually implemented. But they were too broad and lacked urgency and conviction.
Fixing South Africa’s perilous education system will involve building consensus – a time-consuming process. Reuters/Rogan Ward

Too many economic cooks add to South Africa’s policy uncertainty

South Africa’s government should put more effort into developing concrete strategies for dealing with the factors preventing the removal of the critical constraints on economic growth.
Finance minister Pravin Gordhan’s budget speech has put the ANC government’s plan to fight poverty and reduce inequality back in the spotlight. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

South Africa’s budget hits right notes but won’t stave off downgrade

Finance minister Pravin Gordhan would need President Zuma’s undivided support to drive bold economic reforms. But, signs suggest that he does not have such support and is undermined by the president.
South African finance minister Pravin Gordhan had to tread carefully to please many competing interests in his budget. shutterstock

South African finance minister forced to walk a difficult political tightrope

South Africa’s finance minister means well, especially in his bid to cut public sector expenditure. But his success requires strong leadership and strategic alignment across the entire public sector.
South Africa’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s budget fell short on cost-cutting details. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

South Africa’s 2016 budget: long on promise but short on detail

The budget showed some sense of urgency but still fell short on implementation plans. There should have been more, particularly details on cost-cutting initiatives.
Will South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa (left) and President Jacob Zuma support the commitments to reform the economy? REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

South Africa’s budget promises will require buckets of political capital

There are many good things about the budget, including the promised cut to the payroll, but many of the key commitments relating to how policies will support growth are, at best, pointers.
An upbeat Pravin Gordhan, South Africa’s finance minister (left) arrives to deliver his 2016 budget address to parliament in Cape Town. Reuters/Mike Hutchings

South Africa budget 2016: nifty political footwork may not be enough

Cutting the bloated public service wage bill, as the finance minister is doing, is critically important economically. But it is sure to be unpopular with the governing ANC’s powerful labour allies.
South Africa’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivers his 2016 budget address to parliament in Cape Town. Reuters/Mike Hutchings

South Africa’s finance minister tackles wastage, boosts confidence

South Africa’s finance minister delivered a good mix of macro and micro-economic strategies to ensure the country survives economic uncertainty, restores confidence and achieves some growth.
South Africans take their cue from what Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan says about the country’s economic outlook. Reuters/Mike Hutchings

Economic forecasting: why it matters and why it’s so often wrong

Forecasts are crucial for all economic and business activity. But looking into the future involves uncertainty and risk. Forecasts may be inaccurate, which creates a serious dilemma for policy makers
Most ‘taxes’ in South Africa fall outside of the control and oversight of parliament. Reuters/Schalk van Zuydam

How South Africans fork out billions in ‘taxes’ collected by stealth

South Africans spend billions of rands paying for services that should be provided by government, thus making the tax burden considerably higher than what appears in official tax data.
Thousands of civil service employees gather during a protest march for higher pay at the Union Buildings in Pretoria in 2010. EPA/Jon Hrusa

Civil service pay: South Africa has some harsh choices to make

South Africa’s government should urgently announce a moratorium on civil service employment growth. The country has reached its upper limit in the number of civil servants that can be sustained.
Electricity pylons from Cape Town’s Koeberg nuclear power plant. State-owned companies help to provide infrastructure for economic development. Reuters/Mike Hutchings

The secret to successful state-owned enterprises is how they’re run

State-owned companies are not generally needed to provide goods. Rather, they are needed to provide the foundation for a well-functioning economy and a healthy, well-informed populace.

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