Author: Malebogo Putu

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, has clarified how allocated funds will be used to relieve pressure on the country’s broadcasting sector, specifically targeting a historic debt owed by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Speaking on Wednesday, after the budget speech by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, Malatsi revealed that a significant portion of the R700 million financial intervention is earmarked to clear the public broadcaster’s outstanding debt at signal distributor Sentech. According to the Minister, the arrears currently stand at R1.5 million, though broader pressures on state entities necessitated urgent engagement with the National Treasury prior to…

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Wednesday delivered a scathing assessment of the finance minister’s budget speech, characterizing it as a politically motivated balancing act that fails to address the country’s core economic stagnation. In an interview following the parliamentary address, Malema acknowledged the political context of the announcement, noting it was crafted to appear “reasonable, especially with the working class” in a crucial election year. However, he argued that the underlying fundamentals remain dire. “The reality of the matter is that the economy is not growing,” Malema stated. “Without the economy growing, we will not be able…

uMkhonto WeSizwe Party on Wednesday sharply criticized the government’s fiscal strategy, accusing the administration of relying on “ill informed” economic projections that fail to address the immediate needs of a population grappling with poverty and unemployment. Des Van Rooyen, acting parliamentary leader of the MK party, delivered a blistering assessment following the Finance Minister’s budget speech, questioning the credibility of the government’s growth forecasts and the overall direction of fiscal policy. Mr. Van Rooyen focused his attack on what he described as erratic and unrealistic economic growth projections. He noted that the government had forecasted growth at 1.1 percent for…

In the immediate aftermath of the tabling of the national budget, a sharp critique has emerged from the opposition, questioning whether the financial plan truly addresses the needs of South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens. Mmusi Maimane, leader of the Build One South Africa movement, offered a mixed assessment of the budget in a brief interview with the SABC acknowledging certain positive elements while sharply criticizing what he characterized as misplaced priorities. When asked directly if the budget contained meaningful provisions for the poor, Maimane pointed to the allocation of 1 billion rand for policing as a welcome step in a…

In the pantheon of political rhetoric, the concept of “sovereignty” is usually reserved for debates about borders and military might. But in his 2026 budget speech, South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana repurposed the term for the domain of economics, presenting his fiscal strategy as a vital step towards achieving “a greater degree of economic freedom and sovereignty” on a volatile world stage. This framing elevates the technocratic details of deficit reduction and debt stabilisation into a strategic imperative. Mr. Godongwana painted a picture of a world in flux, where “established norms of the global order can shift and be…

South Africa’s fiscal consolidation is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. That was the central message from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana as he unveiled a public sector infrastructure spending plan exceeding R1 trillion over the medium term. The ambition is audacious, to use the hard won credibility of the state’s balance sheet to finance a building boom that will unshackle the economy from its logistical and energy constraints. “This infrastructure investment remains the foundation upon which long term economic growth, improved service delivery and job creation are built,” Mr. Godongwana told Parliament. The spending, spread…

A routine response to a traffic accident on a provincial road has led to the discovery of illicit cigarettes valued at approximately R570,000 and the arrest of a 45 year old man, South African police said on Wednesday. The incident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon on the R81 road outside Giyani, a town in the Limpopo province, when officers from the Giyani Visible Policing unit were dispatched to a collision scene. Upon arrival, they found that multiple vehicles involved in the crash appeared to be traveling together. While emergency medical personnel were tending to the scene, they noticed suspected illicit cigarettes…

In a budget defined by a return to fiscal prudence, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana offered a carefully calibrated message to South African households and businesses, the state has heard your pain, but it still needs your money. The 2026 revenue proposals walk a fine line between providing relief and maintaining the income streams essential for funding the social wage. The headline act for individuals is a reprieve. Stronger than expected tax collections, revised up by R21.3 billion, have allowed the government to withdraw a proposed R20 billion in tax increases that were provisionally pencilled in. This, coupled with the full…

Buried beneath the headline figures of South Africa’s 2026 budget lies a more profound narrative, a government attempting to fundamentally rewire its relationship with the economy and its citizens. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s fiscal plan is not merely about balancing the books, it is a high stakes bet on structural reform, with local government and ailing state owned enterprises as the primary theatres of operation. For years, the dysfunction of municipalities has been a primary drag on growth and public trust. From potholed roads to collapsing water systems, the decay is both physical and financial. The Minister’s diagnosis was blunt.…

For the best part of a decade, South Africa’s national budget was a chronicle of decline. State capture, stagnating growth, and ballooning debt painted a picture of a nation in fiscal freefall. But on Wednesday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stood before Parliament to deliver a scorecard that suggests the wilderness years may finally be over. Presenting his 2026 Budget, Mr. Godongwana declared that the country has reached an “important turning point.” For the first time in 17 years, he announced, debt as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) will not only stabilise but begin a sustained decline. It is…