ID Spokesperson for Finance Lance Greyling says ‘there are a number of aspects in Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's budget the ID is happy with because we have campaigned for them in the past.

‘For instance, we welcome the R12 billion set aside to fund the extension of the Child Support Grant to 18-year-olds. Likewise, we are very pleased about the extra allocations for ARV treatment, but we also hope there is enough money set aside for other essential medicines,' Mr Greyling.

‘It also seems that the taps are finally being closed on failing public enterprises, too many of which squander billions of rand urgently needed elsewhere. We also welcome the forecast implementation of the wage subsidy because this was the second of the Top Ten Solutions in the ID's 2009 Election Manifesto, although we were hoping it would be implemented this year.

‘However, the ID is concerned that the Minister's statement that new infrastructure will be funded by user's fees indicates that the Government is endorsing the substantial price increases being requested by Eskom. If this is the case then we strongly object,' Greyling says.

‘Although the ID fully agrees with Gordhan's comments around restructuring the economy through an industrial policy, the only budgetary allocations that pour concrete on these comments were those for the automotive and textile industries.

‘In contrast to this, there remains nothing to prove that Government is serious about creating green jobs as promised by the President in his State of the Nation Address last week,' says Greyling.

‘Lastly, we agree with the emissions tax, but we feel that the 25 cents increase in the fuel levy is double what it actually needs to be. Instead, the ID would have liked to see increased taxes on alcohol, tobacco and other goods that have a negative effect on our society.'