Kicking the can, not the bucket

Compared to the euphoria of the Springbok’s victory tour, the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) was always going to be a comedown. But even by less ecstatic standards, it was still bleak. The good news, if there is any, is that the finance minister and National Treasury are acutely aware of the seriousness of the problem. This was a face-the-music Budget with no attempt to sugar-coat things. A few months before an election, this is admirable and important. Minister Godongwana certainly talked the talk, but the question is whether he can walk the walk, especially given the many decisions that are outside his control.