THE Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the ANC to help the poor survive the high cost of living.
This emerged during their picket outside the offices of Finance Minister Enock Godongwane in Tshwane on Friday, 27 October.
The DA shadow minister of finance, Dion George, said that next week's Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) in Parliament on Wednesday, 1 November, by Gondongwane should focus on the energy crisis and the high debt level faced by Mzansi.
“We expect the minister to grow the economy, to address the energy crisis, sort out the debt that we are in, support the vulnerable, fight corruption, and help those institutions to be able to do that.
“We need to rescue South Africa from the broken country that is getting in the way of development and causing people to starve," he said.
The leader of the DA student organisation, Liam Jacobs, said the minister must deliver the pro-poor MTBPS.
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“We're calling for the minister to include more items on the list of zero-vat rated items, which will mean all the poorest households will benefit across South Africa.
“We want the minister to introduce this in a money bill that sees this happen in items such as beef, chicken, margarine baby food and so on,” he said.
Liam insisted it was practical and possible.
Hundreds of DA supporters were part of the picket.
Meanwhile, Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane and deputy leader Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster launched a national petition to address the cost of living affecting struggling households on Wednesday, 26 October.
In a statement, the party said Bosa called on all South Africans to rally behind this petition and add their voices to this cause.
“There are strong indications of increases in taxes and service delivery cuts to be announced in Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana MTBPS next Wednesday, 1 November. This amid an exorbitant cost of living crisis which is a pressing issue affecting millions of households across the country," the party said in a statement.
Bosa called for numerous transport taxes called fuel levies that make up a third of the total cost of a litre of petrol.
“This has a direct impact on lowering citizens' transport costs as well as an indirect impact on lowering the cost of food. A moratorium on any increase of VAT above the current 15% rate. A suggested increase to 16% or 17% from the current 15% will result in a revenue increase of R24,5 billion or R49,4 billion respectively. VAT is a regressive tax that disproportionately affects poor South Africans and is no answer to our fiscal ills," the party said.
Bosa also called for a freeze on the 31,4% electricity price increase.
