SACP slams government for 'don't care' attitude

JOHANNESBURG - The SACP is calling on Treasury to reconsider drastic steps to reduce public spending.

It says this will put more pressure on already struggling South Africans.

The tri-partite alliance member says this illustrates government's 'don't care' attitude.

"What we are opposed to and both denounce and reject is austerity, amongst others, austerity involves cutting government service delivery and development expenditure, including redistributing programmes and withdrawing from advancing any real economic stimulus," says SACP General Secretary, Solly Mapaila.

"This is done to enforce preordained fiscal ratios deemed by the neo-liberal playbook to be universally applicable, no matter under all circumstances, for instance, in its letter dated 31 August 2023, the national treasury says national departments, public entities and provinces must stop all new personnel recruitment and infrastructure development immediately, we reject his with the contempt it deserves," he says.

"The latter expects full implementation of other austerity measures by 31 March 2024, this is a don't care attitude towards the plight of our people".