Nokwanda Dlangamandla | kzn@radioislam.org.za

2 min read | 15:45

Photo Credit: News24

The Democratic Alliances held a press conference on Tuesday to discuss its expectations for the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwane had scheduled for Wednesday.

Dr Dion George, the DA’s shadow minister for defence, spoke with Radio Islam International about the party’s alternative MTBPS.

George claims that the DA expects the mini-budget to address the need to boost the economy, pay off Eskom’s debt, and develop a strategy to help residents cope with their skyrocketing living expenses.

According to George, since the government cannot boost the economy and create jobs, it must provide small firms and entrepreneurs with incentives to expand. He claimed that they know he will not discuss this, preferring to speak instead about the state-owned firms, which squander a lot of money ineffectively.

He added that they also wanted to know his intentions for reducing corruption to prevent being greylisted.

The IFP, on the other hand, anticipates little change from the finance minister, saying that this budget will not differ significantly from the others made before Parliament during the last 28 years.

According to the IFP, the budget should include strategies to increase investor confidence, allow for greater privatisation of the organisations, and emphasise the growth of small, micro, and medium-sized businesses (SMMEs).

This budget’s fundamentals must address the issue of South Africans struggling to put food on the table in light of rising living expenses. According to the IFP, social relief would aid the most vulnerable.

Listen to the interview with Dr Dion George, the DA’s shadow minister for defence and Sabahul Muslim presenter Sulaiman Ravat.