Treasury budget scrutinised
Local businessmen were given a platform to comment on the budget.
THERE is still a lot to be done in KwaZulu-Natal when it comes to the high rate of unemployment. This was revealed at a post-budget business breakfast held at Kapenta Bay Hotel on Tuesday this week.
The KwaZulu-Natal government delegation, led by MEC for Finance, Ina Cronjé and MEC for Arts and Culture, Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha visited the Ugu district to give local businesses a platform on which to comment with regards to treasury budget.
“The budget that was tabled by MEC Cronjé was a people’s budget and a very consultative one,” said treasury head of department, Simiso Magagula.
He added that it is therefore proper that the platform be opened to have it discussed and analysed by economists and business people across the board.
Providing analysis on the provincial budget were Dante Mashile of Absa Bank, Andrew Layman, CEO for the Durban Chamber, and Devon Windvogel, an economist from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The three highlighted that the government needed to concentrate more on issues of job creation and economic growth. “We just need to invest more in education because this is where we can harness the dreams and aspirations for the next generation,” said Mr Mashile.
Devon Windvogel highlighted that 16 million people are on social grants and not employed. He suggested that the government should focus on creating jobs for the people rather than providing grants.
Other issues raised include the need to build a university in this district to accommodate the need for students who end up spending years in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town universities, as well as the construction of a large conferencing venue to boost job creation and complement the tourism-based economy of the district.
MEC for Finance, Ina Cronjé, said their focus through the budget was to develop the economy and this can only happen when the money is spent wisely and when the government forges strategic partnerships with the private sector, just like it happened with Absa Bank, who sponsored the budget breakfast.
“There are still challenges as we want to intensify job creation, improve education, health and rural development and fight crime,” she said. She added that the government cannot do this alone but needs helps from private sectors.
