Analysis of Wednesday’s medium-term budget policy statement is best left to the experts who, over the next few days, will explain to us that Tito Mboweni’s plan is good, bad, both and neither, but only where applicable, depending on the aforementioned factors.

Having launched a few books in my life, however, I can speak with some authority about facing a hostile audience that doesn’t want to be there, hasn’t read what you’ve written, and wants to get out and hit the free snacks as soon as you’re done. ..