LISTEN | How Treasury DG Mogajane would have used the R44bn for distress grants differently

Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane has defended the 2022 budget amid criticism that it has not gone far enough to create jobs.

Listen to what he had to say: 

Some of the harshest critics were Cosatu, who told TimesLIVE the budget was “an extremely disappointing budget that repeated old promises”.

“There is no plan to fix the economy or create jobs, no plan to fight corruption and no plan to stop the leakages that have led to 10% of the budget being lost to corruption,” said union spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.

Speaking in a live webinar hosted on TimesLIVE social platforms, Mogajane defended the Treasury's work, saying: “We did a lot, it's a good start.”

Host Eusebius McKaiser asked, “How do the numbers translate into job creation?”

Mogajane said the Treasury was focused on creating an environment for business to operate in. 

“There are 15-million South Africans without jobs, or even more. It is those ones that we cannot provide so we have to make an environment conducive for that. Ease of doing business is a hallmark of the structural reform that we have embarked on.”

Mogajane also suggested that if the decision was solely up to him, he would have taken a different path when it came to the funds allocated to the social relief of distress grant, which President Cyril Ramaphosa announced would be extended for a further 12 months into 2023. 

“The social relief of distress, for example, I would have taken the R44bn and done more on the infrastructure side, do more incentives. Because it is through those that government can partner business and business can create more jobs,” he said. 

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