NEHAWU RESPONSE TO THE MEDIUM TERM BUDGET POLICY STATEMENT 2021/22
November 11, 2021
Thursday November 11, 2021
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] notes the tabling of the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) before Parliament by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, today the 11th November 2021.
NEHAWU is deeply disappointed and dismayed by MTBPS that was tabled today by Minister Godongwana. As NEHAWU, we view this MTBPS as a continuation of successive vicious attacks directed to workers and the poor by Treasury and its surrogates, which have been overwhelmingly rejected in the recent local government elections, in particular by the working class and the rural poor, who are the core electoral base of the African National Congress.
This year’s MTBPS is underwhelming and devoid of progressive macroeconomic policy response to the unfolding socioeconomic crises precipitated by the pandemic and sustained by persistence with austerity. It lacks a proper debt management and restructuring strategy, it is still centred on Neoliberal macroeconomic policy framework that has been rejected by many South Africans as it has plunged the masses of our people to unemployment and poverty.