PETER BRUCE: Budget is simply a return to fiscal conservatism. Big deal, but what about jobs?
There is no signal of a change in government attitude to the way we make money and create growth
We are easily pleased. Finance minister Enoch Godongwana won universal approval for his budget last week. He used the resource-based revenue windfall to claw back pressure on debt and to extend the R350-a-month social relief package for another year. He cut company tax from 28% to 27%. He signalled no more bailouts for state-owned companies. He signalled a conservative new public sector pay doctrine.
Everyone I talk to is so pleased I almost hate to disagree. But for me the budget is simply a return to the fiscal conservatism we used to create a budget surplus between 1994 and 2007. Good. What took you so long? But there’s no signal in government of a change in attitude to the way we make money and make growth happen...
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