Budget takes SA closer to prosperity

CAPE TOWN – President Thabo Mbeki said the 2004/05 Budget, tabled in Parliament earlier this week, takes South Africans a step closer to realising their dreams of development and prosperity.

Writing in the weekly online publication ANC Today, Mbeki said the Budget has provided for increased expenditure to meet the needs of the people. However, he warned that the government cannot concentrate on social spending and allow more and more people to depend on social grants.”During the Second Decade of Liberation, we will have to pay particular attention to this question, to ensure that our policies and Budgets increase the possibility for our people to depend less on social grants and more on normal participation in the economy”.He said it is for this reason that the 2004/05 Budget contains interventions targeted at building the economy.These include tax and regulatory interventions to encourage the growth and development of small and medium businesses and the further growth of the domestic market.He said the Budget illustrates the government’s prioritisation of investment and infrastructure expenditure in particular.The 2004/05 Budget takes South Africa further towards growth, reconstruction and reconciliation.”…the latest Budget has nevertheless succeeded to take us yet another step forward, building on what we have achieved in the past.We enter our Second Decade of Liberation confident that we will succeed to create a people-centred society, characterised by human fulfilment and freedom for all”.- Nampa-SapaHowever, he warned that the government cannot concentrate on social spending and allow more and more people to depend on social grants. “During the Second Decade of Liberation, we will have to pay particular attention to this question, to ensure that our policies and Budgets increase the possibility for our people to depend less on social grants and more on normal participation in the economy”. He said it is for this reason that the 2004/05 Budget contains interventions targeted at building the economy. These include tax and regulatory interventions to encourage the growth and development of small and medium businesses and the further growth of the domestic market. He said the Budget illustrates the government’s prioritisation of investment and infrastructure expenditure in particular. The 2004/05 Budget takes South Africa further towards growth, reconstruction and reconciliation. “…the latest Budget has nevertheless succeeded to take us yet another step forward, building on what we have achieved in the past. We enter our Second Decade of Liberation confident that we will succeed to create a people-centred society, characterised by human fulfilment and freedom for all”. – Nampa-Sapa