ActionSA President Herman Mashaba Critiques Finance Minister Godongwana's Budget Speech

• Herman Mashaba has criticised Finance Minister Godongwana's budget speech, revealing the ANC's economic stagnation
• Mashaba exposed the ruling party's fiscal weaknesses and challenged the budget choices for South Africa, urging for innovative solutions
• Public voices suggest cutting government spending and ministerial salaries to address the country's financial issues

CAPE TOWN - ActionSA President Herman Mashaba says the mid-term budget speech by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana failed to address the main economic ailments faced by South Africans.

Mashaba says Godongwana's speech painted a clear picture that the ANC has run out of ideas to grow the country's economy and create more jobs.

Mashaba pokes holes in Godongwana's budget speech

In a statement released by the party, Mashaba raised the point of mismanagement of state funds by the government. He said:

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"Unproductive and irresponsible spending by the ruling party has rather ballooned while the economy was mismanaged. South Africa does not have a funding problem but simply does not get enough return on the money it is spending.

"Instead of providing new and innovative ideas to tackle the cost of the living crisis faced by millions of South Africans, Minister Godongwana's budget will inflict more pain with steep spending cuts, planned increases of taxes of R15 billion, and below-inflation adjustments for frontline services such as healthcare, policing, and education," said the statement.

Mashaba also added that Godongwana's speech should have focused more on economic growth, the mismanagement of public money, and the looting of public coffers, which is further crippling the ailing economy of the country.

He also reiterated that the added that the financial situation currently faced by the country is a direct product of the harmful legacy of Ramaphosa and the ANC.

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Mzansi makes suggestions on X

Commenting on a post by eNCA on X, Mzansi weighed in, making suggestions of their own on what would work for the country's economy.

@PierreMurray expressed great disappointment:

"What else can we expect when people are hoping the shovel will dig us out of the hole? People who believe a BUDGET SPEECH solves problems or provides hope are wrong. Words without action do nothing. What I had hoped to hear was an insight into tangible steps and real-time plans."

@Proudly012 suggested:

"Cut the security budget for politicians."

@LibertasMetus had this to say:

"I would cut bloated government departments, no doubt. There are way too many ministerial positions, non-value-adding state bodies, and corrupt and inefficient government projects. If a service-delivering government department spends more than 90% on salaries, jobs need to be cut."

@Doctor_101Love commented:

"Cut Ministers 'salaries by 20%, do away with deputy ministers, implement consequence management for fruitless and wasteful expenditure."

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@IvynDombo said:

"Government spends way too much money in travel allowances and accommodations, all meetings must be online and cut down on the cabinet as well."

@manv_sk remarked:

"Cut all those useless ministers' salaries and underperforming municipalities."

Godongwana delivers the mid-term budget speech

Briefly News recently reported that Minister Godongwana said R34 billion has been set aside to extend the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) fund until 2025 to support the unemployed.

Godongwana also noted that the entire social grant will be finalised pending a comprehensive review. South Africans were left disappointed, citing that the R34 billion could be used to create more jobs for sustainable economic growth.

Source: Briefly News