Apartheid activist and clergyman, Allan Boesak, has blamed the current government for what he calls an austerity budget. He formed part of a media briefing addressed by leaders from organised labour and community-based organisations ahead of the Budget Speech.

They voiced concerns about the prospect of deepening austerity measures.

Dr Boesak says economically, the majority of South Africans are still living under a form of apartheid.

“We have this Budget because we have this government. We have this economic policy because we have this government. And if it was clear to us 30 and 50 years ago that apartheid could not be reformed, as they tried, but it had to be completely and irrevocably eradicated, then it is clear to us today in this post-1994 situation. And, I keep on reminding myself of what Conrad Koch has said that for white people and privileged people, post-1994 is not a problem. It is apartheid without the guilt,” says Boesak.

Boesak has called for the current government to go. He says the National Dialogue called for by former President, Thabo Mbeki will not change the state of the country for better.

“For our people, it is still apartheid, but with even more burdens. Heavier burdens to carry. It is about our people stop complaining saying that there is another Budget coming. There will always be a Budget as long as you have this government. It is about the government. They have to go. The people in charge cannot give you a new vision. This thing that they are talking about – a national dialogue, where they will bring us a new vision – how can the very same people who have created the crisis of the past 30 years pretend to be those to cue up with a solution to the crisis they created,” says Boesak.