The analysts are saying that 2008 is going to be a tough year for the world’s economy. We think it will be a particularly tough year for South Africa's poorest citizens. GreaterGood SA has five wishes for Trevor Manual’s Budget in February.

1. Make giving more attractive

We wish you would make giving more attractive to ordinary South Africans. Consider adopting the UK's Gift Aid scheme which allows charities to reclaim a donor’s basic rate of tax on their donations, increasing the value of the donation.

Put your weight behind payroll giving – make it easier to set up and administer, allowing employers to easily deduct donations before income tax is paid. And you could set the example at SARS by creating your own payroll giving scheme, fully supported and matched by management. Non profits work with government at many levels, often acting as service providers for vital poverty alleviation projects. We need your help to raise the funds to continue this work.

2. Take special care of the poor

We hope you will take special care of the poor this year. With a global recession predicted, interest rates going up and power cuts putting pressure on jobs and food security, we think it’s going to be a very hard year for many South Africans who are already struggling to survive. We wish you would spend some of last year’s budget surplus on poverty-alleviation measures like a basic income grant, removing VAT from more basic foodstuffs, regulating the price of staples like bread, milk and maize and substantially increasing the Old Age and Child Grants.

3. Boost the capacity of civil society

We wish for greater government spending and commitment to boosting the capacity of civil society – especially small, community-based organisations working on the frontline of poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Many have access to funds but lack the capacity to spend the funds accountably and efficiently. We hope you look at ways to help local government work in tandem with civil society, avoiding duplication and under-spending. Boosting our capacity will help us to make the best use of the budget money you have allocated.

4. Increase spending on literacy

We wish for increased spending on child literacy measures in the wake of the recent International Reading Literacy study which found that almost 80% of South African pupils do not develop basic reading skills by the time they reach grade five. Set aside some of the education budget to specifically provide books in the mother-tongue to early learning centres and primary schools across the country. Support family literacy projects and make a commitment to get a library into every school in South Africa.

Oh, and if you could remove VAT from books, you would show your commitment to literacy and encourage every South African to make reading a bigger part of their lives.

5. Focus on renewable energy and sustainable living

We wish for more focus on renewable energy and sustainable living to help solve our current and future power crises. One day our coal is going to run out – and that day is coming sooner than we think. At the same time, we wish you would promote and incentivise sustainable living:

• Offer rates discounts to people who install solar water heaters
• Give local government money to run proper recycling schemes
• Support our farmers and the consumption of locally-grown food by taxing imported food items as luxuries
• Investigate a new tax on extraneous packaging at supermarkets

By setting an example as the Finance Minister, you demonstrate the urgent need for others to reduce their own carbon footprints.

We think these five wishes will help make 2008 and beyond easier on poor South Africans.

What are your wishes for Trevor Manual’s budget? Do our Budget Quick Poll