Madam Deputy Speaker, hon members, we are always cognisant of the fact that budgeting, and the underlying fiscal framework that drives it, is a balancing act. The infinite needs and wants of a country must be met within the limitations of a limited or finite budget. These constraints make the process of budgeting challenging, particularly in light of our economy's weak recovery from the effects of the past financial crisis.
Therefore, we are duty bound to think carefully about what should constitute our nation's priority list. The sharp increase in service delivery protests over the past few years could be attributed to nothing other than the failure to translate these budget allocations into meaningful service delivery to our people. This puts further emphasis on the importance of aligning the fiscal framework with the needs of the people.
The UDM welcomes the Minister of Finance's announcement about government's intention to make timely interventions in the economy, by making use of a countercyclical fiscal policy stance to manage fluctuations in the business cycles. The UDM has always advocated for government to do more and to help stimulate economic activity.
The UDM also welcomes government's renewed focus on job creation. However, it is regrettable that job creation is only receiving due attention now, 17 years after the dawn of our democratic dispensation.
It is bothersome to see that 15 million people depend on the social security safety net for their living. This points to the glaring failure of government's employment creation strategies. We must build a developmental state rather than an unsustainable welfare state.
The UDM is concerned that motor vehicle owners, still reeling from the pressure of high crude oil prices, face an increase of 10 cents in the fuel levy, coupled with an increase of 8 cents in the Road Accident Fund levy by 6 April 2011. This taxation increases inflation and exacerbates the disproportionately high fuel price in South Africa. Often, the justification of ... The UDM supports this fiscal framework. Thank you. [Time expired.]