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The African National Congress congratulates the Finance Minister, Comrade Malusi Gigaba, for a focused, insightful and people-centered maiden Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) delivered in the National Assembly, today.

Cognisant of the real challenges facing our people, the MTPBS gives confidence and inspires hope that government remains committed to the stated imperatives of the ANC with regard to financial management being - driving inclusive growth and balancing fiscal consolidation with the protection and promotion of critical social expenditure which includes education, health, basic infrastructure and the social security net on which many of our people depend.

The ANC is particularly pleased by the Minister’s assessment of challenges which hinder accelerated delivery as being a slow pace or lack of implementation of our progressive policies. We call upon government at all levels to heed the Minister’s injunction that decisive and urgent action is required to ensure the realization of our commitments and the people’s aspirations.

We also commend the focus on a growing and most importantly redistributive economy that ensures that the fundamental transformation of the structure, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership, management and control of the economy in favor of all South Africans with particular emphasis on the poor, the majority of whom are African and female.

The interventions made to grow township and rural economies, strengthen good governance at State Owned Companies as well as the additional significant allocation to the funding of higher education are especially welcome. Within the constrained fiscal space, government has through the MTBPS demonstrated a commitment to meet the pressing challenges in the higher education space.

The ANC commits its support to the Finance Minister and Cabinet in their pursuit to give effect to the objectives underpinning this budget. We further call upon all social partners - the private sector, labour, civil society and all South Africans - to be part of the solution and work with government to reshape our circumstance and realize the bold and ambitious targets outlined in the MTBPS.

Issued by the African National Congress