State needs to rid itself of the scarcity mindset to grow the economy

As Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana delivered his Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, terms such as ‘fiscal discipline’ and ‘tightening the belt’ were likely to dominate headlines. I can understand that we need to be prudent in the financial matters of the country and keep the debt-to-GDP ratio within reason. However, when these measures spill over to an inability to fill critical vacancies in the state’s machinery, the economy suffers.

- POLICY PERSPECTIVE by Theo Boshoff

The minister (and previous finance ministers) has repeatedly cut the budgets for state spending on luxuries such as cars, hospitality, and so on, for state functions. The state should be commended for ‘tightening the belt’ in these areas, as this sends a clear and symbolic message to the taxpaying public that is overwhelmingly positive.

However, the darker side to this cost-cutting exercise is the sheer number of vacancies in the state apparatus that cannot be filled due to budget cuts.

NOT ENOUGH STATE VETERINARIANS

Our livestock industries are suffering because we simply do not have enough state veterinarians. State vets are pivotal to biosecurity as they must confirm outbreaks and manage quarantine facilities where notifiable diseases are present.