#MTBPS: Mboweni's maiden mid-term budget speech 'underwhelming' - EFF

EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu. File photo: ANA

EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu. File photo: ANA

Published Oct 24, 2018

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PARLIAMENT - Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) chief whip Floyd Shivambu on Wednesday described Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's medium-term budget policy statement as underwhelming.

"Overall, the whole intervention was underwhelming. I don't think people must have any renewwed hopes," Shivambu said from the steps of the National Assembly minutes after Mboweni delivered his maiden speech.

Shivambu said Mboweni fired "worrying shots" over the public wage bill, which was continuing to place pressure on public finances.

"Workers must be very worried. It looks like ultimately he is going to cut the public service," he said.

Shivambu said Mboweni should have announced that the government would cut the number of consultants and external advisory services and retrain public servants to deliver services to the state directly.

Meanwhile, The DA shadow minister of finance David Maynier, took a jab at Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s, maiden Medium-term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) saying revealed a full-scale budget blowout, which was clear evidence that the “new path” of economic growth, employment and transformation had failed in South Africa.

Maynier said with stagnant economic growth of 2 percent, lower-than-expected revenue of R85 billion, higher-than-expected expenditure of R12bn and “bail-outs” of state-owned enterprises of R9bn, including a R5bn “bailout” of state-owned SAA.

- African News Agency (ANA)

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