COSATU Submission on the 2017/18 Budget
Economic Context Job creation plans; Triple challenges and apartheid legacy; Domestic jobless and low growth; Increasing frustrations; and Business as usual vs. radical economic transformation.
Fiscal Responses Austerity vs. economic stimulus; Infrastructure and social expenditure; Debt levels and external debt.
Revenue Proposals VAT; Income tax increase for high earners; Below inflation tax bracket adjustments; Luxury goods and non-essential imports; Reinvestment, local procurement and beneficiation; Company tax; and Border Management Agency.
Expenditure Public service vacancies & PSCBC; Wage bill gaps; SOE executive pay; Public representatives & office bearers; District vs. Local Councils; Consolidate departments, agencies, SOEs and councils.
Expenditure continued Wasteful expenditure cut backs; Bling expenditure; Labour brokers and outsourcing; and Corruption; Cut catering, travel & ads; and Government garage cars.
Expenditure continued Local procurement regulations; Chief Procurement Officer: Government building construction; Municipal and SOE deployments; and Municipal and SOE procurements. Single elections.
Trade and Industry and Economic Development Job creation & protection macro-plan; Manufacturing and reindustrialisation: Motor manufacturing, textiles, agriculture and tourism. Budget allocation; Jobs Fund; and Consolidate departments.
Mineral Resources Job losses; Safety; Beneficiation; and Rehabilitation.
Financial Sector Transformation Investment strike; Collusion; Job creation and decent wages; and Parliamentary and Nedlac processes.
Social Development Social grants pending crisis; Post Office and Bank; and Comprehensive Social Security Discussion Paper.
Health National Health Insurance funding; Public health facilities; Vacancies; Sugar tax; and ARVs.
Higher Education and Training NSFAS increases; NSFAS threshold; Free education; and TVET Colleges, SETAs; and NYDA.
Basic Education Infrastructure expenditure; Non-payment of salaries. Mud schools and latrines; Text books; and Non-payment of salaries.
COGTA and Public Works CWP and EPWP as a source of cheap labour.
Basic Education Infrastructure expenditure; Mud schools and latrines; Vacancies; and Text books.
Energy Renewable energy investment and jobs; Legislated mass roll out; Solar panel targets; Eskom tariffs; and Nuclear energy.
DIRCO Trade promotion; and Embassy construction.
Public Enterprises Governance crises plans: Retrenchments, labour broking, outsourcing and corruption; Shareholder Management Bill; SAA, SA Express and Mango; and SABC, SA Post Office and Telkom.
Police VIP Protection Unit; and Decline in force levels
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Land restitution; Farm worker equity and land; Support and subsidies for sector and emerging farmers; and Aquaculture.
Transport PRASA; SANRAL and E Tolls; and Public transport.
Water, Sanitation & Environment Water infrastructure; Local government intervention; Tariffs; Desalination; Rain and grey water legislated roll out; Informal areas; and Climate change targets.
Conclusion 35% unemployment; Business as usual vs. job creation; VAT and progressive tax reform; Wasteful expenditure and prioritisation; Wage bill and public service vacancies;
Continued NHI; Social security; Renewable and nuclear energy; Water crisis; Education; Outsourcing, retrenchments and labour broking; and Parliamentary reports.