What SA’s politicians loved and loathed about the 2020 Budget Speech

The 2020 Budget Speech has been delivered, with steep hikes to sin tax, fuel levies and more investment into state-owned enterprises. But what did Tito Mboweni’s fellow politicians think about his announcement?

VF Plus

The VF Plus isn’t happy about government’s further investment into state-owned enterprises, but did recognise the need to keep Eskom afloat. For this, it believes government pension funds should be used to rescue Eskom, while SAA should be privatised.

Good and bad news in Budget Speech, but money is still being thrown down bottomless pits like the SAA and the Road Accident Fund @GroenewaldPJ #Budget2020 https://t.co/3j2N6SBu7n

— VRYHEIDSFRONT PLUS / FREEDOM FRONT PLUS (@VFPlus) February 26, 2020

The DA

Slightly more annoyed at the SAA news it seems, the DA bemoaned another bailout made to the national carrier.

“It is outrageous that funds desperately needed to stimulate the economy and the creation of jobs is to poured into the SAA vanity project,” said George Hill-Lewis, the party’s shadow minister of finance.

[WATCH] @geordinhl's reaction to Minister, Tito Mboweni's #BudgetSpeech2020

"Another big bailout to SAA of over R16 billion! This is at the cost of budget cuts to healthcare, to education, to policing and that is not an acceptable choice to make." – @geordinhl pic.twitter.com/BdhnzELKr7

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) February 26, 2020

The ACDP

The ACDP’s Steve Swart “welcomed” Mboweni’s measures to address the government wage bill and praised further investment into prosecuting bodies NPA and Hawks.

#ACDP greatly concerned about Govt wage bill. We welome the R160 billion saving, but negotiation and sacrifice is needed to bring about long term fiscal sustainability – says Steve Swart .MP on #TitoMboweni 's #BudgetSpeech2020
[Watch] https://t.co/EQjSmc7w7P#BudgetSpeech

— ACDP South Africa (@A_C_D_P) February 26, 2020

GOOD Party

Good’s Brett Herron called cutting expenditure a “bitter medicine that we must swallow” but saw it important that workers do not suffer.

“We need to cut out the bloated executives so that we can save the jobs we need,” he added.

#BUDGET2020: Cutting expenditure is the bitter medicine we must swallow, but critical public servants mustn’t pay the price of looting by elites says @brettherron. “We need to cut out the bloated executives so that we can save the jobs we need”.https://t.co/rIGfes0W2x

— Good (@ForGoodZA) February 26, 2020

The EFF

Interestingly, the EFF had little to nothing to say about the Budget Speech initially, but did take the post-speech Twitter opportunity to post pictures of Julius Malema with “the future”.

“We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to fulfill [sic] the struggle for Economic Freedom in our Lifetime,” the party tweeted.

The future warmly embracing CIC @Julius_S_Malema after the budget speech earlier today.

We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to fulfill the struggle for Economic Freedom in our Lifetime. pic.twitter.com/XPrhBlUpjN

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) February 26, 2020

Mbuyiseni Ndlozi late on Wednesday tweeted that Floyd Shivambu inspired the ANC’s Sovreign Wealth Fund idea.

[Must Watch] FACT: on 26 February 2018 EFF DP @FloydShivambu gave Ramaphosa the Sovereign Wealth Fund idea. Then ANC put it in its 2019 elections Manifesto. Today, Min. @tito_mboweni announced its establishment. 🤷🏾‍♂️ EFF leads! pic.twitter.com/ZFTLeXAzSZ

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) February 26, 2020

The party finally posted its official stance on the Budget Speech just before 8pm on Wednesday evening, calling it “unsurprisingly neo-liberal and uninspiring”.

EFF Statement on Budget Speech by Minister Tito Mboweni. pic.twitter.com/uexE16aCps

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) February 26, 2020

Other politicians

Former DA leader Mmusi Maimane has had plenty to say on Twitter largely concerning the 2020 Budget Speech’s lack of consideration for youth employment.

Bona:
The President said they would allocate 1% of the budget to deal with Youth Unemployment. ✅

Then he says we will find out in the budget speech. But not this speech. The mid term speech in October. 🚩

Seems like he is kicking for touch with the youth. #BudgetSpeech2020

— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 26, 2020

Feature image: Andy Walker/Memeburn