High Expectations Ahead Of The Mid-Term Budget Statement

By: Bright Ntuli

As Finance minister Enoch Godongwana will be presenting the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement this afternoon several bodies are expecting it to address critical factors surrounding fiscal and economic sustainability in South Africa.

Civil society organisations are calling for human rights to be given greater priority in the budget, and for government to move away from its overly simplistic focus on debt reduction.

In their view in the past decade, real spending on education and health care has fallen dramatically due to austerity policies.

While the Beer Association of South Africa has called on Minister Godongwana to provide more certainty over whether National Treasury is considering harmonising the excise regime governing the alcohol industry.

On the other hand economist, Raymond Parson says nonetheless the minister will have some good fiscal metrics to offer.