Meeting the challenges from the opposition will strengthen the ANC’s dominance. How well its new leadership copes will become clearer over the next few months.
Both the state of the nation address and budget speech didn’t leave a sense that there has been much reflection on the depth of the economic malaise gripping South Africa.
South Africa’s 2018 budget does not go far enough. Perhaps finance minister, Malusi Gigaba was caught up in the euphoria of the widely welcomed state of the nation address by Cyril Ramaphosa.
A drought levy is being proposed for water scarce Cape Town. The levy is facing wide opposition and there are claims it’s punitive and punishes those trying to save water.
South Africa’s finance minister was honest about the problems facing the country. But he made no real suggestions that the government will start doing things differently.
South Africa’s 2017 medium term budget reveals a growing gap between revenue and expenditure which places the country in a highly vulnerable financial state.
South Africa waits with bated breath for the 2017 medium term budget policy statement from new Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, as it might reveal key signals of where economic policy is headed.
Privatisation talk in South Africa shows how state owned enterprises are being used as tools for enrichment by the connected and less as key elements of development.