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Cape Town – What “all of us want” was central to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's simple message of economic hope in his Budget Speech on Wednesday.
“All of us want jobs, thriving businesses, engaged professionals, narrowing inequality, fewer in poverty,” he told Parliament.
“All of us want a new values paradigm, a society at peace with itself, a nation energised by the task of building stronger foundations for our future society and economy.
“We want our government to function effectively, our people to work in dignity, with resources for their families, decent homes and opportunities for their children.
“We want to see progress throughout our land, in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, construction, tourism, science and research, sport and leisure, trade and commerce.”
Gordhan said the budget was being pitched in a spirit of frankness, “both about our challenges and the opportunity to turn our economy’s direction towards hope, confidence and a better future for all”.
“Low growth, high unemployment, extreme inequality and hurtful fractures in our society – these are unacceptable to all of us,” he said.
“I have a simple message,” he said. “We are strong enough, resilient enough and creative enough to manage and overcome our economic challenges.”
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