Note to Editors: The following speech was delivered by GOOD MP, Shaun August during the Medium Term Budget Vote in Parliament today
4 December 2020
Honourable Speaker.
When South Africa’s economy was growing in the late 90s and 2000s, government squandered the opportunity to use the money wisely to narrow the gap between privilege and poverty and to ensure that no South Africans should live in the mud, without dignity, or go to bed without food in their stomachs.
In 2020, the Covid pandemic struck us at just about our weakest point, with the economy already humbled by the ratings agencies and on its knees. Millions more jobs lost. Millions of parents struggling to feed their families. The only thing showing any signs of growth is the poverty gap.
It is in this context of crisis that we meet to debate budget policy today.
Speaker
Our people have lost faith in government. They have lost faith in justice. They have lost faith in Eskom, and they don’t believe SAA will stop haemorrhaging money.
It is our greatest task to restore their faith, and to rebuild trust despite the little we have to procure building materials.
If we are going to restore citizens’ faith, and our self-belief as a country, it has to begin here, today. Either we sink further into the quicksand, or we fight our way out with a new recipe of pragmatic policy, professional project management and implementation, and wise administration.
GOOD has maintained since its formation that the time for talking is over, and that government must start implementing its plans. The virus has not changed this view.
In short, we believe that all budget adjustments aimed at improving services affecting the daily lives of citizens are GOOD.
We must prioritise helping the poorest and most vulnerable citizens, introducing good quality health care and quality education for all, including disabled and rural citizens, developing a crime fighting force that does its job, supported by integrated social and community support systems – and, most of all, job creation initiatives.
Integrity doesn’t cost money. It’s where our work must begin.
Thank you.