Budget 3.0: Godongwana's moment of truth

JOHANNESBURG - Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will be under pressure to trim the fat in government when he tables budget 3.0 on Wednesday.

Godongwana will have another shot at publicly balancing the books in the National Assembly.

With a VAT increase off the table, National Treasury is expected to present alternatives to make up for the revenue shortfall, account for high expenditure and stabilise debt.

Fewer surprises are expected in budget 3.0, except for what programmes may be slashed to cut down on spending.

With a pro-growth agenda, economists said Treasury is unlikely to compromise on spending for projects considered key to economic growth.

READ: Budget 3.0: Godongwana should prioritise economic growth, says economist

This includes infrastructure, logistics and energy.

While there's little political will to address it now, Wits Business School professor Jannie Roussouw said cutting the bloated cabinet would go a long way.

"I'm not sure that even President [Cyril] Ramaphosa can name all the ministers, deputy ministers and their portfolios without looking on a name list. Why do we need this bloated cabinet when there’s no benefit for ordinary South Africans?"

He said government officials need to be more frugal with public finances, warning of the dire impact maladministration also has on the public purse.