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By Editorial,
South Africa’s finance minister has boosted welfare payments to more than 18 million people in his last budget ahead of May’s general election.
The governing African National Congress is facing a tough political challenge as it battles to maintain its outright majority in the 29 May poll.
Left-wing rival, the Economic Freedom Fighters has already pledged to double payments to the less well-off But harsh economic conditions leave the government little room for manoeuvre.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was under pressure to curtail the government’s growing budget deficit while also maintaining spending, and keeping taxes low, in order to not put voters off. END