The goal of redistribution and social transformation is faltering, and we need to go back to the drawing board. It is, of course, difficult to highlight this without seeming ignorant or dismissive of the great strides achieved since the dawn of democracy. Poverty has fallen, more children are at school and more families have homes with electricity and water. Yet, social dialogue and social movements suggest a great deal of discomfort and dissatisfaction exists. This couldn’t have been more evident than during the finance minister’s medium-term budget policy statement last month. In his speech Pravin Gordhan reiterated the abiding posture of successive governments since 1994. He quoted from the first medium-term budget policy statement, referring to the "trade-offs and choices that the nation confronts in addressing its reconstruction and development priorities…". The minister further asserted that "our goals remain to promote social transformation and more inclusive economic growth…...
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