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Cape Town - Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has called on
the private sector to take up the challenge and become more involved in the
economy through the infrastructure build programme and by creating jobs.
Interviewed on Radio 702 on Wednesday following his delivery
of the 2012 budget vote in parliament on Wednesday, Gordhan said the economy
did not just consist of government.
“Government just makes up 30% of
the economy. It has carried a huge burden by keeping the economy afloat during
the 2007/08 recession and now it is time for the private sector to do its part
too. We must all do our part,” he said.
Gordhan said government expenditure was slowly moving from
being consumption-led to investment-led.
“I think we have a clear
infrastructure investment programme to boost the economy,” he said.
Gordhan said as more people were employed, fewer would
depend on the state for grants which would allow for a reduction on social
spending and widen the tax base.
He said government proposed to create R25bn worth of
incentives for business that would be over and above the more than R20bn worth
of incentives already in place.
Gordhan said the debt burden carried by government at 38% of
gross domestic product was not excessive as it fell well within the range of up to 50% that was
internationally accepted.
“We must stop creating panic for
ourselves. We (the government) have guaranteed to change our spending to get better
value than we are getting. The state has R4.5 trillion of resources available
for redirection into investment,” Gordhan said.
On the controversial Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project
(GGIP) Gordhan said the threat of court action by various parties was not helpful.
“I think we have real win-win
situation. Government has placed R5.75bn into Sanral (SA National Roads Agency
Ltd) that reduces interest. We are prepared to allow for heavy vehicles to have
discounts if they move in non-peak hours and public transport is exempt, so the
poor won't be affected, and we are improving the provincial R55 and R101 roads,”
he said.
Gordhan said government would get to bottom of allegations
that foreigners were just exploiting the situation through the sale of the toll
collection gantries.
“I don't think there will be
wholesale exploitation,” he said.
“Using the national fuel road levy would not help the GFIP
as it would mean that the whole country would pay for the GFIP,” Gordhan said.
On the 15% dividend tax, Gordhan
emphasised that pension funds would not have to pay it and that its
introduction meant SA was now following international norms.
“Government was effectively pressured into this tax,” he said.