In the context of weak economic growth, lower-than-expected tax revenues, and the implementation of measures to reduce public spending, there is a “rising panic” ahead of this year’s Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. The concern for health care provision is palpable as anticipated budget cuts threaten the country’s already fragile and understaffed public healthcare system, write Matshidiso Lencoasa and Dominic Brown.
The Medium-term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) was tabled amid a grim global economic outlook and a climate of increasing political uncertainty, electricity supply challenges, and very high unemployment. Russell Rensburg argues the MTBPS fails to provide a credible path toward a resilient recovery and sets out what can be done to strengthen governance and build social solidarity around the recovery we need.
Budgets alone do not solve structural issues, but what it does is provide some insight into the government’s plans for addressing its broader developmental priorities. Russel Rensburg unpacks what the medium-term budget policy statement means for the health sector.
