Budget 2017
PREPARING A BUDGET: Under pressure
Preparing a budget is a lonely task that requires the finance minister to fend off numerous demands from his cabinet colleagues. For Pravin Gordhan, it is likely to have been even lonelier, given a lack of support from the president
SA’s finance minister will have spent the past three months, particularly the three weeks leading up to this week’s budget presentation, fending off the demands of his colleagues. These countless consultations, formal and informal, can be very lonely for the man who controls a budget exceeding R1trillion.The task has likely been made lonelier by the lack of political support from the current president, says a former finance minister, who spoke to the Financial Mail a few months ago on condition of anonymity.Every member of President Jacob Zuma’s bloated cabinet feels his or her projects deserve to be prioritised over others. "In my time as finance minister I sat in cabinet meetings in the three months before budget fending off my colleagues," says the former minister.He says he had to attend formal budget preparation meetings at treasury and at the various offices of his colleagues. "If we funded everything we were presented with, the budget would [have] come up to R7trillion. And w...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.