Stakeholders Call for Pro-Poor Policies, Job Creation, and Green Investments Ahead of 2025 Budget Speech.

By: Bright Ntuli

As South Africa prepares for the 2025 Budget Speech, set to be delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tomorrow, business leaders, political parties, civic organisations, and non-profit groups are all expecting key issues such as economic growth, unemployment, poverty, and job creation to be addressed.

The budget speech is anticipated to set the tone for the country’s economic direction, outlining the government’s plans to improve the business environment and drive sustainable growth.

The GOOD Party has called for the implementation of a Basic Income Grant (BIG) to be a top priority in Minister Godongwana’s budget speech. According to an economic study conducted by the party nearly two years ago, the country could afford a R999 monthly basic income grant if it adopted a more flexible approach to budgeting.

GOOD’s Secretary-General, Brett Herron, emphasised that South Africa is constitutionally obligated to ensure its citizens can meet basic needs. He argued that the country can no longer afford to ignore the introduction of a basic income grant that would allow citizens to sustain themselves.

Meanwhile, the Save South Africa Civic Movement has urged Minister Godongwana to ensure the upcoming budget is pro-poor, with a clear focus on unemployment, poverty alleviation, and job creation. The movement argues that budget cuts are harming essential public services and exacerbating mental health challenges, particularly among underpaid workers in sectors such as policing and teaching.

Tebogo Mashilompane from the movement also called for an end to corrupt tendering practices, increased funding for health and education, and the nationalisation of South Africa’s mining sector to ensure more equitable wealth distribution.

In a related development, Zero Carbon Charge has called on Godongwana to prioritise carbon reduction targets in his budget speech tomorrow. The solar-powered charging station provider is advocating for financial incentives to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and the development of off-grid charging infrastructure.

Joubert Roux of Zero Carbon Charge has also proposed the creation of a carbon credit trading system, which would incentivise clean energy investments and support South Africa’s journey towards net-zero transport goals.