JOHANNESBURG – The medium-term budget policy statement has given South Africa some breathing room, ratings agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) said on Wednesday. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivered his speech in Parliament, Cape Town. Speaking to Talk Radio 702/567 Cape Talk’s Bruce Whitfield this evening, the minister defended his optimistic view of the economy as a whole. – See more at: http://ewn.co.za/2013/10/23/SP-reacts-to-budget-speech-1#sthash.NzloeDCK.dpuf