Twitter reacted with mixed reviews of newly-minted Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's maiden mini budget speech - with some twitterati saying they had heard it all before. Others, however, welcomed Mboweni's easy approach that made the budget "understandable for us all".
Here is an idea: collapse the monopolies and dismantle the oligopolies. Thats how you unlock innovation, adjust real prices in the real economy & build competitive dynamics. Kanti anifundi? Do we not study history of how stagnant economies unlock growth potential? #MTBPS2018pic.twitter.com/Dj4z3cl6mY
— Vusi Thembekwayo (@VusiThembekwayo) October 24, 2018
#Mboweni's #MTBPS2018 delivers in sentiment, but remains constrained by the political realities of a looming election, ANC divisions, ideological confusion & governance/institutional decay. Still, hints of policy shifts will depend on internal ANC politics in 2019. #SouthAfrica
— Daniel Silke (@DanielSilke) October 24, 2018
Excuse my candour, but I am tired of the same rhetoric. Maybe one expects too much too soon from the minister but COME ON! I don't think we are fully versed on how far down the burning platform is.#MTBPS2018
— Vusi Thembekwayo (@VusiThembekwayo) October 24, 2018
I'm done with people celebrating mediocrity. Tax free means; price - VAT = you still need to get money to pay because you're female. Meanwhile men are getting strawberry condoms for free. #MTBPS2018
— CinDee (@CeepNm) October 24, 2018
Off script, @tito_mboweni ad libs a joke that ends with the words ‘such ACES of crime must be removed from the system’. He chooses his words carefully and tellingly. #MTBPS2018
— Richard Calland (@richardcalland) October 24, 2018
#MTBPS2018
— Motheo Khoaripe (@Motheo_Khoaripe) October 24, 2018
“Sanitary pads should be tax free”
As of the 1 April 2019, government will zero-rate the following items:
1. Sanitary pads
2. Bread flour
3. Cake flour
The revenue loss associated with zero-rating these items is estimated at R1.2 billion.
In summary, #MTBPS2018. ‘We are borrowing more to pay SAA & other SOE. We shall do the things we should have done, but frankly we have run out of money. Growth is low, things are more expensive’ Tito We now need urgent reform. Sell SOE’s, invest in cities, Pay SMME’s on time.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) October 24, 2018
#mtbps2018 @tito_mboweni says “No Holy Cows” when it comes to SOEs, and then proceeds to hand Govt Airlines (SAA & SA Expr) R7,2bn bailout. Confused?
— Wayne Duvenage (@wayneduv) October 24, 2018
SA’s Debt to GDP Ratio is growing, and the biggest expenditure item on the agenda on the budget is debt services. The minister must show how to reduce debt without comprising public service. Options include building state capacity &maximising non-tax revenue sources. #MTBPS2018! pic.twitter.com/TheFBfLAZb
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) October 24, 2018
So good to hear @tito_mboweni openly supporting @KganyagoLesetja @SAResbank. This is a confidence booster for macroeconomic coordination and policy trajectory #MTBPS2018 ?????? what do you think @thabileoka and @XhantiPayi
— Bulelwa Boqwana (@maproco) October 24, 2018
Mboweni quotes Dickens, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of widsom. It was the age of foolishness." #MTBPS2018
— Lester Kiewit (@lesterkk) October 24, 2018
#TitoMboweni quoting Charles Dickens.
— Bulelani Phillip (@BulelaniPhillip) October 24, 2018
We've moved on from Kendrick Lamar. #MTBPS2018
If ntate Tito Mboweni doesn't end his midterm budget speech with "sha-sha", he would have wasted everyone's time. #MTBPS2018pic.twitter.com/RibD1k8kuv
— Jimmy Ramokgopa (@JimmyRamokgopa) October 24, 2018
#TitoMboweni must be the only South of African, of his ilk, who has never heard of the plan to build a high speed train from Johannesburg to Durban ?? #MTBPS2018
— cheryl vilakazi (@zottyzulu) October 24, 2018