It was not only tax cuts that Trevor Manuel was distributing so liberally on Wednesday — he also handed out a large number of ripe red plums.
All the MPs who attended his Budget speech in the National Assembly found presentation packages of the fruit on their desks when they sat down.
But they had to wait for the very end of the hour-and-a-half-long speech to hear why. Manuel reminded them that two years ago he had quoted West African poet Daniel Diop on the tree of Africa whose fruits ”gradually acquire the bitter taste of liberty”.
”The bitter taste of liberty?” Manuel asked rhetorically then.
”Does the lemon always ripen before the sweet plum? Or do we have it in our power to determine for ourselves the quality of the liberty we earn from struggle?”
On Wednesday, presenting what he proudly said was the tenth Budget of a democratic South Africa, he told his fellow MPs: ”Do enjoy the sweet plums: they’ve ripened.
”But remember we must work together to ensure all South Africans enjoy the sweet fruits of liberty.”
Earlier, the minister displayed his linguistic talents and courage by delivering sections of his largely English speech in Nama, Sepedi, Xhosa, Tswana and Afrikaans.
Although the Nama, which he described as ”the language of the gods” came tripping off his tongue, as did the Afrikaans, he was less fluent with the others, and his fellow MPs prompted him when he struggled with particular words.
He was solidly applauded when he announced R13,3-billion in personal tax cuts, more spending on police. a hike in old age pensions, the increase in tax on tobacco products, and the scrapping of ad valorem excise duty on computers.
”Those applauding are clearly computer literate,” he said.
However at another point, apparently disappointed by the lack of MPs’ reaction to a plea for lower costs in the food supply chain to be passed on to consumers, he commented: ”England’s playing India this afternoon. People must be listening to that.”
As he reached the end of his written text, he announced that he was formally tabling his speech, the 279-page Budget Review document, and the even more bulky Estimates of National Expenditure.
”Perhaps not very environmentally friendly, but exceedingly important in the construction of accountable government,” he said. – Sapa