Austerity

Labour federations Cosatu and the South African Federation of Trade Unions have led calls for a budget that addresses massive unemployment and weak growth

There are concerns that the decision will weaken the ANC in future elections

Tax bracket over-inflation has led to income inequality and less money for essential services

The third instalment of Lessons for the Left considers what happens when a grassroots resistance movement takes on entrenched neoliberalism

The medium term budget policy statement (MTBPS) on 30 October will lay out spending intentions for the next three years. This is the first chance the government of national unity…

Today, as the country awaits the next update on the state of its public purse, the prospect of a debt crisis seems more imminent than before. This is as South Africa’s fiscal…

The choice to adopt austerity is not about protecting the state against capture — nor is it about realising untapped growth

The SACP says the finance minister’s proposed spending cuts are an inappropriate response the country’s economic problems

The ruling party’s economic transformation committee head, Mmamoloko Kubayi, said the treasury’s proposals were ‘unfortunate’, ‘illegal’ and a ‘tick-box exercise’

The proposal suggested the bloated cabinet be cut and departments trim their expenditure

Another round of spending cuts stand to shake the governing party’s already rickety foundations

Like a household, new spending will be financed through tax increases or budget cuts

Nearly half of South African women are left out of the country’s labour force — and gender-friendly budgeting could fix that

The state has to employ another one million people to match international standards

This year’s budget will be a balancing act, but the treasury needs to prioritise restoring South Africans economic agency