Bitter medicine could have been avoided had strikes been curbed – CDP
“Higher taxes need to be handled with the utmost care to prevent a flow from the productive to the unproductive sectors,” said Rev. Theunis Botha, leader of the Christian Democratic Party’s response to the minister of Finance’s maiden midterm budget speech.
“One could not but wonder how different matters would have been in reducing the budget deficit had it not been for prolonged strikes resulting in certain sectors being damaged, the policy of cadre
deployment, and South Africa’s rather spectacular drop on the corruption perception index. Having a heavy duty president and four wives also does not help.
“Now the chickens have come home to roost, taxes must be hiked, government employee positions frozen, and debt ceilings be adjusted. This is bitter medicine we believe could have been avoided.
“But will government hold to the stringent measures, or will more and more ‘adjustments’ need to be made to satisfy those aiming to slaughter the goose that lays the golden eggs?
“This said, we believe minister Nene did well under very trying circumstances, and we trust that he will have the tenacity to see that others also do what is necessary.”
Afrikaans Version.
Bitter medisyne sou voorkom kon word sou stakings beperk gewees het – CDP
“Hoër belasting is iets wat met die grootste omsigtigheid hanteer moet word om te keer dat dit tot ‘n uitvloei van kapitaal van die produktiewe sektor van die onproduktiewe lei,” sê ds. Theunis Botha, leier van die Christen-Demokratiese Party (CDP) in reaksie op die minister van Finansies se nooiens-midtermyn-begrotingsrede.
“’n Mens kan nie anders nie as om te wonder hoe anders sake sou wees om die begrotingstekort af te werk as dit nie vir uitgerekte stakings was wat sekere sektore geskaad het nie, die kaderontplooiingsbeleid en Suid-Afrika se skouspelagtige tuimeling op die korrupsiepersepsie-indeks. Dit help ook nie dat die land ‘n ‘swaardiens-president’ met vier vroue het nie.
“Nou het die hond in die sitkamer kleintjies van vreemde herkoms gekry, belasting moet verhoog word, poste van staatsamptenare moet gevries word en die skuldplafon aangepas word. Dit is alles deel van die bitter medisyne wat ons meen voorkom kon gewees het.
“Gaan die regering hou by die streng beperkinsgsmaatreëls, of sal maar weer en weer ‘aanpassings’ gemaak moet word om diegene wat die hennetjie wat die goue eiers lê probeer slag?
“Maar ons is tog van mening dat minister Nene goed onder die omstandighede gedoen het en ons vertrou dat hy oor die dik vel beskik om toe te sien dat ander ook hou daarby om te doen wat gedoen moet
word.”
