Very soon, the Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba is expected to deliver his maiden budget speech where he will have to outline how he intends to direct government spending to boost economic growth, lower debt and avert a triple downgrade from ratings agencies to junk status. For the next half hour we will pick from the minds of some of South Africa’s leading economists about how he can do this and deliver a spending plan that doesn’t disappoint like the medium term budget plan did last October. Joining CNBC Africa is Tumisho Grater, Economic Strategist at Novare, Zweli Mabhoza, Founder Priority Tax Solutions, Owen Khumalo, Senior Investment Consultant at Old Mutual Corporate Consultants and Lesley O’Connell, VAT and Indirect Tax Partner at PwC South Africa.