Page 4 - 21 March 2025

PAGE 4 · THE REPORTER 21 MARCH 2025

Education, another critical remains flawed and there is economic growth. Without
aspect, has collapsed. When no real focus on improving these steps, no budget will
South Africa continues to teaching quality. The have any real impact. The
perform the worst in the government must move finance minister can make
world in mathematics and away from superficial as many promises as he
science, it is absurd to think policies like lowering pass wants, but until these core
our children are receiving the rates and instead focus on issues are addressed, our
education they need to g e n u i n e e d u c a t i o n a l economy will remain on a
succeed in the future. The excellence. downward path. South
g o v e r n m e n t i t s e l f The government's so-called Africa needs real change –
acknowledges that the solutions – redistributing not another budget filled
l e a r n e r- t e a c h e r r a t i o resources, raising taxes, and with dreams and theories.
remains too high and that The consequences of the
there is a significant overregulation – are not the A N C ' s p o l i c i e s , a s
shortage of teachers. While answers that will save this implemented over the past
country's economy.
the budget adds R19.1 few years, have become too
billion over the medium term TLU SA is clear: the costly for our country and for
to retain around 11,000 g o v e r n m e n t m u s t the finance minister. He no
The reality facing us as a u n a d d r e s s e d : a n deployment and a lack of teachers in classrooms, this implement drastic cost- l o n g e r h a s r o o m t o
country is simple: the ANC incompetent and poorly expertise in key positions is merely a band-aid over a cutting measures, eliminate manoeuvre – and it is that
government has left behind a trained police service that mean these projects rarely much bigger wound. It corruption effectively, very policy direction that has
nation without proper simply lacks the necessary achieve real success. makes little difference if the rebuild infrastructure, and robbed South Africa of its
foundations, one that resources and training to
Take, for example, the R100 education system itself create a real environment for future.
continues to falter under the combat crime effectively. billion that SANRAL plans to
weight of corruption, T h e j u s t i c e s y s t e m , spend on the road network
mismanagement, and weakened by political over the medium term –
excessive spending. Finance interference and inefficient there is no guarantee that
M i n i s t e r E n o c h structures, worsens the these funds will actually stop
Godongwana can present problem. Criminals are often the decline of our roads. The
yet another budget, making not successfully prosecuted, same applies to PRASA,
more promises of economic leading to a culture of which will receive R19.2
recovery and growth, but it impunity. As long as cadre billion to improve signalling Mooi harte en oop hande is
remains mere theory on d e p l o y m e n t t a k e s systems and restore train die redding van die CMR"
paper. services. Yet, we know that was die woorde van Tersia
precedence over merit and Gerber, raadslid van die
A basic principle of any competence, any attempt to PRASA's management has plaaslike kantoor, tydens 'n
business – and indeed a improve security in the struggled with corruption fondsinsamelingsgeleent-
country's financial policy – is country will be nothing more and mismanagement for heid wat op Maandag 17
to spend within its means. than a superficial fix that fails years, and without real Maart in Barkly-Oos gehou
When the government to address the real issue. improvement in governance is.
continues trying to fund its In addition, the policy and accountability, these Me. Carolene Roets het
ongoing expenses with e n v i r o n m e n t a n d i t s funds will once again be inisiatief geneem en 'n
borrowed money, it creates a implementation remain wasted. ontbyt by “Die Huis” gereël
dangerous debt spiral that is flawed. If the government If the infrastructure budget is
unsustainable. It's simple: t r u l y w a n t s t o s e e properly managed, it could vir hierdie doel. Gaste het
heerlik gekuier en smaaklike
you cannot keep spending entrepreneurs thrive, the add significant value to the geregte geniet tydens hierdie Gaste geniet die lekker kos en geselskap.
what you do not have. Yet, regulatory environment agricultural sector and to geleentheid.
with every budget speech, must be business-friendly. TLU SA. In the current dankie aan haar en haar twee Eureka Pretorius vir hul
we see little real effort to But what do we see? Policies s i t u a t i o n , w h e r e CMR sê weereens baie helpers, Me. Ammie en harde werk.
acknowledge this basic t h a t d i s c o u r a g e infrastructure is often
truth. crumbling, an effective and
entrepreneurship, labour
Security is the foundation of laws that stifle economic well-planned investment in
any functioning economy. growth, and a persistent infrastructure could directly
How does the government attempt to raise taxes as if benefit agriculture. Consider
expect real economic growth that is a sustainable solution. the improvements in
when it cannot even ensure transport and logistics that
the safety of its people? With I n f r a s t r u c t u r e – t h e w o u l d f a c i l i t a t e t h e
nearly 80 murders per day backbone of any economy – marketing of agricultural
products, or the investment
a n d a p o l i c e f o r c e i s c r u m b l i n g . T h e in water and sanitation,
undermined by corruption, government's budget boasts which is critical for
more than R1 trillion
mismanagement, and cadre allocated to infrastructure s u s t a i n a b l e f a r m i n g
deployment, it is clear that over the next three years, practices. If these funds are
safety is not a priority. No
including R402 billion for managed correctly, they
budget that ignores this transport and logistics, could be a real catalyst for
crisis can truly be successful.
R219.2 billion for energy growth and stability in the
The government's focus on infrastructure, and R156.3 a g r i c u l t u r a l s e c t o r,
foreign missions and billion for water and strengthening the economy
p e a c e k e e p i n g , w h i l e sanitation. While this sounds and creating jobs and
neglecting the basic security impressive, the reality is that progress for communities.
of its own citizens, is deeply previous similar promises This is a unique opportunity
concerning. Billions of rands have often disappeared into to boost South Africa's
are allocated to the military the bottomless pit of agricultural industry and
and correctional services, yet c o r r u p t i o n a n d steer the country's economy
the core issue remains mismanagement. Cadre in the right direction.
Me. Tersia Gerber (raadslid van die plaaslike CMR kantoor) saam met Me Mosa Letele, Maatskaplike
Werker en Me Thembisha Vuma, Maatskaplike Hulpwerker.