Infrastructure spending, addressing high inflation on IFP’s wish list for Budget speech

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has listed its demands for Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Budget speech, but the party said it is not expecting much.

The IFP said the reason for this was that in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent State of the Nation Address (Sona), he told the country simply to hope.

‘Trust has been long broken’

“However, we cannot afford another Budget drafted on the mere hopes and dreams that the economy will miraculously recover, and that South Africans will somehow reap the benefits when the governing party decides to act.

“The governing party has had too many chances in which they have failed to transform the economy. It is difficult to believe that the Minister of Finance could announce any plans that South Africans can actually believe in. This is the difference between trust and hope – trust has been long broken, but now every patriotic citizen has also lost hope,” the IFP said.

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SOEs need to be partially privatised

The party’s deputy president and spokesperson on finance Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi said in a statement on Tuesday that the party believed that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) need to be partially privatised.

“The announcement by the president that the Post Bank will become a state-owned bank flies in the face of all taxpayers in the country. We cannot throw money at our problems when the state of the economy is in disarray. Post Bank should be sold off and phased out to become a private entity.”

Infrastructure

The IFP also said that it expects Godongwana to announce an increase in infrastructure development projects, particularly in rural areas, while urgent attention should also be given to the maintenance of existing infrastructure.

R1.2 billion towards energy crisis

The party warned that the government’s proposed mass roll-out of solar energy panels to communities across the country was yet another opportunity for politically connected officials to loot state funds.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi committed R1.2 billion to deal with the energy crisis, during his first State of the Province Address (Sopa) on Monday.

Crime

The IFP said although it appreciated that attention given to fighting crime last year, it sought a more targeted approach.

“There is a surge in specialised crimes, which has changed the generic nature of crime that the police have dealt with before. The precise lens used to target crimes such as corruption needs to be duplicated to address crimes that seek to sabotage economic development, such as cable theft and business robberies.

“For far too long, we have heard the same script from various ministers and presidents. This time around, South Africans will not be as patient or resilient, as decades have passed and communities are becoming increasingly frustrated and violent.”

Corrupt leaders

The IFP also expressed its disappointment and lack of trust in the country’s leaders.

“South Africa cannot move forward with the same role-players and stakeholders. We have lost trust in those at the helm of our government. Therefore, this Budget must see an increase in spending on our institutions of justice, policing and security.”

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Cost of living

IFP suggested that the core of the budget must address the fact that South Africans are unable to put food on the table as the cost of living is steadily increasing.

“Social relief would assist the most vulnerable. However, as much as the IFP supports the various grants given to the most vulnerable people, we believe these should be interim measures, as this is not sustainable.

“This Budget will fall short if it fails to increase the allocations made to departments and local governments, as this is where communities can see tangible changes in their lives,” the IFP concluded.

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