Johannesburg - South Africa was fortunate in that it did not have to call on its taxpayers to save its banks during the recent financial crisis, Deputy Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene said on Tuesday.
"SA was prudent during times of plenty, so government was able to stimulate the economy in a sustainable way," he said at the Banking Association of SA's inaugural summit in Johannesburg.
The deputy minister said the country's fiscal policy was on a "sustainable" footing.
"The fiscal budget deficit for this year is expected to be 6.2% of gross domestic product."
This had given the economy the support it needed following the recession in the country in 2009. Nene told the summit the local
banking industry faced problems of its own.
"We have to reconcile a first-world banking sector with an enormous demand for financial services and we have to act to improve access for all South Africans."
"SA was prudent during times of plenty, so government was able to stimulate the economy in a sustainable way," he said at the Banking Association of SA's inaugural summit in Johannesburg.
The deputy minister said the country's fiscal policy was on a "sustainable" footing.
"The fiscal budget deficit for this year is expected to be 6.2% of gross domestic product."
This had given the economy the support it needed following the recession in the country in 2009. Nene told the summit the local
banking industry faced problems of its own.
"We have to reconcile a first-world banking sector with an enormous demand for financial services and we have to act to improve access for all South Africans."