The people’s budget

Masego 26, Mokaleng,

is a single mother who resides in Randburg’s Fleurhof and was recently retrenched.

She said the Gauteng government should provide funding to young entrepreneurs who have viable business ideas.

“Our youth need to take a stand and not be lazy. Many people want to be employees instead of striving to be employers. Young people should always step forward with their business ideas, no matter how small their ideas are, and seek funding,” she said.

Mokaleng said the provincial government should sort itself out as there are leaders who are corrupt and are a law unto them

Aeharsh Ramdeen, 22,

stays in Alberton on the East Rand and is unmarried and childless.

He said government could only fight fraud and corruption by being in touch with the needs of the masses.

“They must get involved with the people, let them have a debate and let them sort out the challenges,” he said.

“Government must not just assume things. Graft and crime is big in the country and we need more people involved in preventing it by voicing their opinions,” he said.

“We should have more community policing forums while at the same time there should be a plan to cut down the number of government officials. It is unfortunate that, just like in many other countries, we have corrupt individuals here as well,” he said.

Ramdeen said he believes government should pump more resources into fighting fraud and corruption.

He said government officials should show the general public that they care about their welfare and be more visible in communities.

Pensioner Bertha Rrantshabo, 61,

is a single mother of two and a grandmother of two who stays in Eldorado Park.

She said the provincial government should come up with laws to prevent public servants from recruiting their family members and stop corruption.

“Nepotism must be eradicated. Public servants can never deliver services successfully if they are not carrying a mandate from the grassroots, and not only from the ANC,” she said.

“The provincial government is composed of the Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters and ANC; which means they have to reach a common ground,” she said.

Rrantshabo said government could fight fraud and corruption by paying public servants better salaries.

“They must pay the police well. A hungry lion will not hesitate to catch its prey. When the police officers are well paid they will never be involved in fraud and corruption by asking for bribes. They will be thinking, ‘why must I jeopardise what I have on hand for what I am unsure of?’,” she said.

Irene Phohleli, 28,

is a single mother of one who stays in Freedom Park near Eldorado Park.

Her highest academic qualification is matric.

She said the 27.7% unemployment rate showed that the economy was depressed and resulted in many people committing fraud and corruption to sustain themselves.

“To be honest, I have never been employed in my life and I am suffering to an extent that from time to time I would consider committing fraud in order to survive.

“However, if the government could find a way to create jobs, the high rate of fraud would come down. Right now I’m stranded and thinking that there is a shop I need to target because I’m not working,” said Phohleli, who said she survived on her parents’ pension.

She said the government was not assisting her with anything.

“I don’t know what is the point of the provincial government implementing community projects because they discriminate against certain sectors of society. For instance, I visited a community hall in Eldorado Park after hearing that government was handing out food vouchers.

“However, when I arrived there I was told that I’m young and I was turned away because the food vouchers were only for the elderly,” said Phohleli.

“They told me that my age allows me to find employment, so I should go and look for a job, which is ironic, especially when considering the high unemployment rate,” she said.

Vuyiswa Noda, 40,

is an entrepreneur and a married mother of four who runs a pub in the Vaal.

“I think government could stop fraud and corruption by giving the youth work, especially males. I’m saying this because I have observed that most unemployed women, unlike men, don’t engage in corrupt practices.

“However, there are women who – out of poverty and desperation – become involved in prostitution in order to survive. But if a man is working and his girlfriend is unemployed, he is able to take care of her until she manages to secure a job.

Noda said government could improve its service delivery record by channelling funds into organising community meetings where public servants will interact directly with members of the public.

Theunis Myburgh

is a married father of one from Mondeor, south of Johannesburg.

“Whether it is Gauteng or national government, everything is the same to me. They must get the right leaders in place because the right leader will make everyone under him or her responsible for their actions,” he said.

Myburgh said he does not believe Barbara Creecy should allocate more resources towards combating fraud and corruption.

“To throw more money at the problem is not going to make it go away. You need to get the right people and structures in place and that will stop all of that. But to put more money at it, I’m not convinced and I don’t see how that is going to make it stop ... unless drastic changes are made and the right leaders come in,” he said.

Myburgh said the state was not committed to working with communities.

“I do not think government is involved enough with communities. They should get people involved in communities to find out what their needs are.

“If you look at this country you have got all the bigwigs driving these big cars, while you have children dying on the streets from hunger.

“Government needs to get involved with the people, they must start looking after the masses and stop looking after themselves,” he said.

Dean Anderson, 56,

is a motor mechanic who lives in Riverlea and is married with three children.

He said corruption was being perpetuated by government officials. “Government can only fight corruption if it gets rid of all the rotten apples.”

He said he believed it would be a good deed if the medium-term budget policy statement focused on combating corruption.

“There are lot of people who need the money while there are those who don’t need it. But the more money they get, the more greedy they become,” said Anderson. He said government could improve how it delivers services if it consults with the public.

“Government should go to the people and, instead of telling them what they are going to deliver, they should ask them what services they need.

“If they do this, people are going to respect the government because they will see that public servants want to earn a living by supplying excellent services to the citizens,” he said.