EFF blasts govt over budget cuts

THE EFF sees red over ongoing underfunding of the basic education sector.

This is in reaction to the 2024 Mid-Term Budget Policy Statement delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.

EFF spokeswoman Leigh-Ann Mathys highlighted that while education remains one of the largest national budget items, with an allocation of R324,5 billion, inflation, rising pupil enrolment, and infrastructural deficits paint a "troubling picture" for schools and communities.

Mathys pointed out that the combined budget for the Infrastructure Grant and the School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant, totalling R14,95 billion, remains insufficient to address the sector's urgent needs.

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Overcrowded classrooms, a lack of proper sanitation, inadequate safety measures, and limited access to essential learning facilities, including libraries and science labs, continue to be major issues affecting the quality of education for pupils.

"The department's own estimates reveal that, at least, R20 billion is required annually to eliminate critical infrastructure backlogs by 2030," Mathys said.

"At the current level of funding, not only will this target be unmet, but projections indicate that these challenges will persist until 2038, at least."

The EFF also noted that budgetary constraints, exacerbated by debt service costs now accounting for R382,2 billion, continue to limit potential for meaningful investment in education.

Delivering his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement in the National Assembly on Wednesday, 30 October, Godongwana warned that Mzansi's debt is unsustainable.

"To achieve the goals of our fiscal strategy, we must better manage our debt. Debt has risen too fast and is too high. We're anticipating that government debt will reach more than R6 trillion or 75% of the Gross Domestic Product in 2025/26," Godongwana said.

Mathys said prioritisation of debt repayment at the expense of socio-economic rights of pupils is unacceptable and highlights a political choice that compromises the right to quality education.

She said true economic growth can only be achieved through investing in an educated and capable youth.