{"id":176993,"date":"2017-05-30T11:41:32","date_gmt":"2017-05-30T09:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=176993"},"modified":"2017-05-30T11:41:32","modified_gmt":"2017-05-30T09:41:32","slug":"how-the-da-would-spend-your-money-if-it-had-control-of-the-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/finance\/176993\/how-the-da-would-spend-your-money-if-it-had-control-of-the-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"How the DA would spend your money if it had control of the budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Democratic Alliance has published its ‘alternative budget’, where the party suggests over 400 amendments, saving R10.8 billion which can be better spent improving the lives of South Africans.<\/p>\n

The party said it has identified a host of items in the current budget that can be cut and re-prioritised, mostly coming from items being spent on VIPs, such as VIP security and travel arrangements.<\/p>\n

The DA said that\u00a0R1.2 billion can be saved by simulating a \u201chiring freeze\u201d and cutting spending on any new employees in the twenty seven national departments, which have not been \u201cfire walled\u201d against spending cuts in 2017\/18.<\/p>\n

R3.4 billion can be saved by cutting back on advertising, use of contractors, legal services, and catering and venue hire and travel subsistence for government activities.<\/p>\n

A further R6.2 billion can be saved by cutting out National Treasury’s ‘secret services’ and VIP protection services with the police. Included in this amount, the DA says that a R1.3 billion VIP regional jet can also be nixed, and R4.5 billion for the BRICS developmental bank should also be re-prioritised.<\/p>\n

“We have therefore identified total savings in the amount of R10.8 billion within the
\nbudget for 2017\/18. What this means is that the amendments we propose are ‘budget
\nneutral’ and can be funded from within the existing budget, and will have no effect
\non the fiscal deficit, which is estimated to be R149 billion, or -3.1% of GDP, in 2017\/18,” the party said.<\/p>\n

The party proposed that the R10.8 billion be spent on other matters of national interest:<\/p>\n