Budget Passed After Bitter Fight, Forcing DA to Decide Whether to Stay in the GNU or Leave

SIHLE MAVUSO|April 2, 2025

***SPITTING FIRE: Finance Minister Enock Godongwana wants the DA out of the GNU after the fight over the budget. Photo: GCIS***

The contentious budget for the 2025-2026 period has been passed with 194 votes against 182 while its legality is still in question.

After it was passed ANC MPs were heard shouting “Abahambe” (they must leave), meaning the DA should leave the government of national unity (GNU) after opposing VAT increase.

The DA led the opposition to the budget together with the MK Party, the EFF, FF+, ATM and the ACDP. Among the parties that voted yes to the budget are Patriotic Alliance (PA), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) together with ActionSA, Aljamah, PAC, Good Party, UDM, Rise Mzansi and BOSA.

The opposing parties raised the legality of the process, saying the law was not followed to the latter, but Speaker Thoko Didiza was adamant that the process was legally sound and the process was to be proceeded with.

During the debate before the voting, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was last on the podium and was spitting fire. He implied that the DA cannot stay in the GNU after rejecting the budget.

Immediately after the budget was passed, it said it will approach the Western Cape High Court on an urgent basis to challenge the process followed.

“The Democratic Alliance will file papers in the Western Cape High Court to challenge Parliament’s passing of the 2025/26 National Budget.

“It is unthinkable that ActionSA has handed this VAT hike to the ANC on a platter, and it is both unlawful and unconstitutional how Parliament processed the Budget. ActionSA and the ANC were joined in passing this VAT Budget by the IFP, PA, GOOD, Rise Mzansi, UDM, PAC, Al Jama-ah and BOSA who collectively have chosen to make life more expensive for South Africans,” the party said in the statement.

It added that it vehemently opposed the Finance Minister’s Budget proposal, and negotiated for amendments that would have ensured economic growth and job-creation, because that is what South Africa needs.

“Instead of the budget being amended to address the needs of struggling South Africans, the budget has been passed by the National Assembly with VAT hikes to make life more expensive for South Africans.

“Yesterday’s sitting of Parliament’s Finance Committee was not compliant with the standing rules of Parliament, in that the Fiscal Framework was not put to the Committee to approve or reject, and one proposal during the meeting of one political party was taken as adopted without the other tabled amendments being considered.”