Durban - The ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal has expressed disappointment in Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s Budget speech, saying it failed to live up to its expectations by reflecting on radical transformation.
It was expecting Gordhan to show his commitment on creating a state bank, free education, ensuring youth development and expropriation of land.
Spokesperson Mandla Shange said the speech was “totally not radical” about transforming the economy. “It does not show it would help black people move forward. It did not reflect on our expectations.”
Shange said the speech did not pressure the private sector to take part in growing the economy for the benefit of the poor.
“There is no clear direction that South Africa is moving forward in terms of putting in measures to force the private sector to have a buy-in in the broader transformation of our economy,” said Shange.
Gordhan announced that the Post Bank had been granted an operating licence, but Shange said that did not address the demand for a state-owned bank.
Shange said the league was only happy about the additional funding of R5 billion to higher education, on top of last year’s allocation of R32 billion.
Gordhan said the government had provided funds for university students whose families had an income below R600 000 a year.
“That is commendable, as this shows we are going somewhere. But we should move further to free education, which can help address the needs of university students."
A few hours before the Budget speech, the ANCYL told the media in Durban it was expecting Gordhan to use the speech to “redeem himself”.
The league's KZN secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo said deployees of the ANC to the government had an obligation to implement party resolutions to transform the economy. He said those who were contracting the radical transformation were contradicting ANC policies and resolutions.
“These (radical economic transformation) must be implemented now. Anyone who is a stumbling block, including Minister Gordhan, must make way for those who are willing to implement.”
The league is in favour of former Eskom chief Brian Molefe becoming finance minister.
“If the ANC programme says we are now entering radical economic transformation, that is the programme any member of the ANC must meet,” said Sabelo.