The leader of ActionSA, Herman Mashaba, took another jab at the DA today, saying the scrapping of the VAT increase was achieved by parties outside the government of national unity (GNU), not by any court action. Mashaba was speaking in Sandton on Thursday, April 24, where parties including the ANC, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), BOSA and others briefed the media following the government’s decision to scrap the increase. This came after DA Federal Chairperson Helen Zille and other party members…

The recent decision by the Minister of Finance, Comrade Enoch Godongwana, to retract the proposed VAT increase has triggered a whirlwind of commentary—from within the African National Congress (ANC) itself, and predictably, from the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and other reactionary actors now fishing in judicial waters. While we await the judgment of the courts, it is essential to pause and interrogate not only the legal mechanics at play, but also the political climate that has…

ActionSA, the kingmaker party that helped the ANC to pass the 2025-2026 budget without the support of its coalition partner the DA, says it would withhold its support if the VAT increase proposal is implemented from 1 May 2025.  The party’s parliamentary leader,  Athol Trollip, says they still have the cards to block the move. He was briefing the media today, April 3,  following yesterday’s heated budget sitting where it appears that the ANC dribbled ActionSA by promising not to…

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…

Despite opposition from many quarters, including most opposition parties within the government of National Unity (GNU), the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana has announced a value-added tax (VAT) increase of 0.5 percentage point.  Godongwana announced the increase a short while ago while delivering the 2025-2026 budget in Cape Town today, March 12. He said there are several persistent spending pressures in health, education, transport and security. According to the South African finance minister, these have to do with the government…

In an unprecedented move since the dawn of democracy in 1994, the South African government has cancelled Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s 2024/2025 budget speech due to policy disputes within President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Government of National Unity (GNU). The governing African National Congress (ANC) and its grand coalition main partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), could not agree on the proposed 2% increase in the Value-Added Tax (VAT) from the current 15% to 17%.  The postponement, announced during a Parliamentary sitting in…