“Minister Nene’s budget speech has all the ingredients of an election speech which was designed to please the majority of voters,” says Christian Democratic Party CDP) leader, Rev. Theunis Botha.
“The focus falls heavily on welfare allowances and education.
“With the fuel levy hikes touching one rand per litre, we are extremely concerned as to what may happen should the international oil price be increased to previously high or even higher levels. This will effect a large portion of the work force, many of whom are poor, whilst eventually impacting, on the prices of goods and other products.
“The hike in the electricity levy is also a blow to the solar plexus.
“We would have liked to see a greater emphasis on the curbing of wasteful expenditure, and blatant corruption, rather, than emphasis being placed on trying to prevent the international shifting of funds to evade taxation, which is difficult to police.
“In spite of everything, the minister succeeded under very trying circumstances to present a budget that is probably, in many respects, the best, one could have hoped for.”
Afrikaans Version
CDP-reaksie op begrotingsrede
“Minister Nene se begrotingsrede het al die elemente van ‘n verkiesingstoespraak – wat so ontwerp is om die grootste gros van die kiesers tevrede te stel.,” sê ds. Theunis Botha, leier van die Christen-Demokratiese Party (CDP).
“Die fokus val swaar op maatskaplike toelaes en onderwys.
“Ons is baie bekommerd oor wat sal gebeur as die internasionale olieprys die hoogtes inskiet, met die gesamentlike verhoogde brandstofheffing van byna ‘n rand per liter. Dit sal ‘n groot deel van die werksbevolking raak, waarvan baie arm is, en uiteindelik op die prys van basiese voedsel en verbruikersitems reflekteer.
“Die verhoging in die elektristeitsheffing is ook ‘n harde hou in die maag.
“Ons sou verkies het om meer klem op vermorste uitgawes en selfs bedrog te sien. Eerder as om die sente behoorlik om te draai word gefokus op die moeilik polisieheerbare skuiwergate, soos waar inkomste in meer as een land gegenereer word.
“Die minister het nogtans onder baie moeilike omstandighede daarin geslaag om ‘n begroting op te stel wat in vele opsigte die beste is waarop ‘n mens kon hoop.”
