MK Party doesn't expect Godongwana’s budget speech to offer concrete solutions on unemployment
The party has proposed an alternative budget, which it believes could resolve South Africa's many challenges.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana addressed a media briefing on 19 February 2025 following the postponement of the Budget Speech. Picture: Parliament
JOHANNESBURG - The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party says it does not expect Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech to offer concrete solutions to how public funds can be used to tackle unemployment.
Godongwana will present his budget policy statement at 2pm on Wednesday. In February, he failed to do so due to disagreements within the executive.
The MK Party, which is the official opposition in Parliament, argues the African National Congress-led Government of National Unity (GNU) is more focused on reducing debt than tackling unemployment.
The party has proposed an alternative budget, which it believes could resolve South Africa's many challenges.
South Africa's unemployment rate currently stands at 31.9%, with 45.5% of young people still trapped in joblessness.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party said that the government had been misusing funds, failing to allocate them towards addressing the critical issue of unemployment.
The party claims that under an MK Party government, education and healthcare would receive proper funding, suggesting the ANC-led government has neglected these essential sectors.
Additionally, the MK Party is calling for an increase in old-age and disability grants to R4,500 and for the child support grant to be no less than R760.
However, the MK Party expressed doubts that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's budget speech would meet its expectations.