Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan delivers 2014 Budget weighing in on government property leases.

The state will build 216 000 houses and connect 905 000 households to electricity over the next two years, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said in Parliament on Wednesday.

The half point increase in the repo rate announced by the Reserve Bank on Wednesday (29 January 2014) certainly sent a shock wave through markets.

Commercial property lending is critical to stimulating the development of infrastructure in South Africa, one of the key pillars in the National Development Plan (NDP).

Commercial property lending is critical to stimulating the development of infrastructure in South Africa, one of the key pillars in the South African National Development Plan.

The Reserve Bank has done well to balance economic growth and the need to create jobs in its policy decisions, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said.

The country’s levels of debt make it vulnerable to economic shocks although in the past the country has been able to reduce its public debt, says Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Foreign companies that are based in South Africa and that are keen on investing in countries outside of Africa – including in Bric (Brazil, Russia, India and China) members, will be able to benefit from relaxed cross-border financial regulations and tax requirements, the Minister of Finance announced.

Financing of R827 billion on infrastructure projects over the next three years, to be drawn from the fiscus and state-owned enterprises, is in place

Amid continuing global economic uncertainty, South Africa continues to experience growth and has weathered the storm with a stable fiscus