Mixed reaction to Godongwana’s MTBPS

There have been mixed reactions from political parties to the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday afternoon.

Amongst others, Godongwana announced relief on fuel levies , saying that the diesel levy will drop by R3 per litre and the petrol levy will drop by R1.50 per litre on 4 November, before tapering down in December.

Chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance Joe Maswanganyi says these measures address many issues that can bring relief at local government level.

“It will go a long way in dealing with the cost of living because everybody is concerned about the cost of living.

The price of food, the price of transport is very high because of the oil prices and many, many other measures that he has mentioned in local government.

The issue of El Nino is a reality.

How do we deal with it? He has spoken about monies that will be allocated to try to alleviate the challenges that will come with El Nino, more especially in the agricultural sector.” ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula says the budget is aimed at protecting South Africans from increases in food and transport costs, as well as the cost of doing business.

“In a hard year, the minister has done the thing that a budget does not always manage to do.

He has reached into the pocket of the working family and left a little more there.

R10 billion is handed back at the fuel pump in the busiest travelling weeks of the year.

Every grant is protected and the social wage is growing.” Economic growth, job creation The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) says the MTBPS is largely positive, given the economic turmoil the country is facing.

Government announced a downward revision of its economic growth forecast for 2026 to 1.2% from 1.6% projected in the February budget.

Growth is expected to reach 2% by 2029.

FF Plus Chief Whip Wouter Wessels says while there are positives like a tax windfall of R17-billion, there are some matters that will require increased oversight.