Over the next three years
government has promised to spend six hundred and forty seven billion on basic
education, one hundred and forty five billion on municipal infrastructure, five
hundred and two billion on health, four hundred and ninety eight billion on
social protection, thirty six billion on school infrastructure.
Meanwhile excise duties on
alcohol beverages and tobacco products will again increase.
A bottle of wine will cost
fifteen cents more, quart of beer goes up by fifteen cents, bottle of sparkling
wine will increase by forty eight cents, whisky by three-rand-seventy-seven
cents and a pack of twenty cigarettes goes up by eighty-two-cents, Ciders and
alcoholic fruit beverages by seven-cents
State old age grant will
increase from 1350 to 1410, disability grant from 1350 to 1410, foster care
grand from 830 to 860, care dependency grant from 1350 to 1410 and child
support grant from 315 to 330.
Government has also vowed to
decrease expenditure in its departments for catering, entertainment,
travelling, hiring of venues by eight-percent.
Minister of Finance Nhlanhla
Nene said the first phase of implementation of the National Development plan is
elaborated in Governments medium term strategic framework.
“If we remain united and
energised around its implementation- government, labour, business and all South
Africans we will continue to make progress towards a just and prosperous future
Nene added.
Minister Nene said “Today’s
budget is constrained by the need to consolidate our public finances, in the
context of slower growth and rising debt.”
He added that “We must
intensify efforts to address economic constraints, improve our growth performance,
create work opportunities and broaden economic participation”.
Unemployment remains our
single greatest economic and social challenge. Government continues to
prioritise measures aimed at generating employment.
“These include tax incentives
for employment and investment, support for enterprise development, skills
development and employment programs”, Nene added.
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