Trade union UASA said that the economic challenges at hand are dire and called for serious intervention ahead of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's budget speech.
Abigail Moyo, spokesperson of the trade union UASA, said that South Africa’s economy barely grows 1% per annum, the cost of living is high, and unemployment and crime are rife. “Without immediate and determined intervention, we may never recover in the future."
Moyo added that UASA calls on Godongwana to present renewed effort and dedication, highlighting well-thought-through solutions to utilise the country’s resources for economic growth and to address the economic challenges crippling the lives of South Africans. “South Africa demands workable financial solutions addressing poverty, unemployment, the water and energy crises, inequality, high cost of living, deteriorating infrastructure, and crumbling state-owned enterprises (SOEs).”
Moyo said that UASA expects the government to deliver economic and job reform plans. “UASA continuously pursues a practical approach to remedy the high unemployment crisis. We remind the government that an economy that cannot produce enough jobs to sustain the population is a disaster. We want Godongwana to explain how the “graduate recruitment scheme” will be funded and rolled out to absorb a chunk from the millions of unemployed South Africans.”
Moyo added that South Africans struggle in survival mode as they fight for a better life. “Finance Minister Godongwana must understand how the cost of living obstructs economic growth, making affordability a thing of the past. The minister must address the challenges of poverty and inequality. Failing municipalities and deteriorating infrastructure and SOEs must be addressed with proper financial investment plans to help restore the challenges.”
Moyo said that investing in reviving these structures can help with unemployment and job creation by forming special task and graduate teams to find solutions. “We need a suitable financial plan to support the 13 billion US dollar pledge to follow through on the Just Transition Framework and nationally determined contribution (NDC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change."
Moyo added that we need transparency in budget allocations to ensure accountability and lessen corruption. “We demand transparency and honesty at all levels. We demand zero tolerance for leniency around economic challenges. Lastly, we need clarity on a budget geared towards addressing the South African economy's turnaround strategy.”
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