
The opposition party says what they heard in this year’s budget speech at the Themba Senamela stadium was ‘uninspiring’ and not new.
The Democratic Alliance in the Mpumalanga province has criticised economic development MEC Eric Kholwane’s budget speech, saying the speech failed to address the province’s lost generation.
Kholwane delivered this year’s budget speech at the Themba Senamela stadium in Middelburg on Tuesday (14 Mar) this week.
SEE ALSO: Kholwane points to slow growth as cause for concern
The DA’s Bosman Grobler said in a statement that Kholwane’s speech was “uninspiring” because it failed “substantially” to address growth and employment creation for the people of Mpumalanga.
Grobler said Kholwane introduced no new measures to grow the economy and ensure job creations.
“The MEC allocated a total of R44.5 billion in the provincial budget, which includes R36 billion from the equitable share, R7.1 billion in conditional grants and 1.2 billion from the province’s own revenue,” Grobler said.
“With the unemployment rate in the province standing at 42,1%, no effort was made to create a conducive environment for employment creation,” he said.
READ: Eric Kholwane gets tough on economic transformation
Kholwane allocated R500 million to the provincial department of coperative governance and traditional affairs but the DA said this was nothing and explained why service delivery an “all time low”.
“The DA remains committed to achieving growth by ensuring that our plan for growth and jobs remain so that the lost generation of this province will be afforded with lots of opportunities,” Grobler said.
“We will continue to strengthen and revitalise our ideas with up to date research on our economy and how to grow it, including constant innovative policy department was not able to research on our economy and how to grow it, including constant innovative policy proposals,” he said.
(edited by ZK)
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