The main instrument of the state to effect change was the Budget and the government needed to be bolder in redistributing resources, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Sunday.
”The last Budget was marginally expansive and we must continue with that trend, but we see no radical change … if we don’t put money aside it’s all just dreams,” said Tony Ehrenreich, Cosatu’s Western Cape provincial secretary.
Ehrenreich and the Rail Commuters’ Action Group were outside Parliament’s main entrance on Sunday to protest against Metro Rail’s poor safety record.
They were also protesting about the government’s refusal to make available finances to improve the infrastructure and services of the public rail system.
Specifically, Ehrenreich questioned the funding of the multibillion-rand Gautrain expenditure from the national fiscus, saying this money could be better spent on addressing existing backlogs in Metro Rail.
Ehrenreich also called on Finance Minister Trevor Manuel to resist calls by mainstream economists for further tax concessions for the wealthy and corporations.
”Our reason for this call is that business and the wealthy have been the key beneficiaries of the first 10 years of democracy.
”The top 20%, at the moment, of South African society, has increased their share of the national income and workers have proportionately become poorer.”
Ehrenreich said the top 20% was not the constituency who voted the ANC into power. – Sapa