"Now government needs to walk the walk"

Tjaart van der Walt, CEO of the RealNet estate agency group, welcomed Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's undertakings to curb unproductive state expenditure and rein in graft and corruption announced in the Budget today.

"It is a positive indication that the government is in step with tax-paying consumers' concerns. However, we need to see that policy is implemented speedily and with visible effect."

Van der Walt says that the R1bn allocated to speeding up housing provision is disappointing. "This figure is but a drop in the ocean. A large percentage of South Africans have low incomes and need help to gain secure tenure. Not only is it a basic human right, but large-scale housing incentives will create many jobs, which in turn, will contribute significantly to reducing unacceptable crime levels.

"Emphasis on rural development is to be welcomed but government can speed up housing delivery in these areas by making large tracts of state land available to developers free of charge.

"Adequate housing brings social stability - a necessary ingredient for sustainable economic growth," he says

Article by: www.realnet.co.za