ANC in Talks With Opposition Parties, Fikile Mbalula Confirms Party Seeks Support to Pass Budget

• Fikile Mbalula confirmed that the African National Congress (ANC) was in discussion with parties to pass the budget
• The Secretary-General of the ANC also hit out at the Democratic Alliance after the party stated it wouldn't support the budget
• The Economic Freedom Fighters and uMkhonto weSizwe Party also voiced frustration with the VAT increase

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent ten years working for a local newspaper before transitioning to online journalism

GAUTENG - The African National Congress (ANC) is willing to work with parties not in the Government of the National Unity (GNU) to pass the budget.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presented the budget on Wednesday, 12 March 2025, but it wasn't well received by all parties.

The Democratic Alliance (DA), the second largest party in the GNU stated that it would not support the budget in its current form. The DA was against the 1% Value-Added Tax increase over the next two years.

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ANC in discussions with other parties

With the DA stating that they would not support the budget, the ANC started discussions with a host of other parties.

ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula confirmed that the party was in discussions with parties in and out of the GNU. Mbalula made the comments at Luthuli House on Thursday, 13 March.

"The budget will be passed working with everybody in government and the ANC is prepared to talk and engage with all political parties within the GNU and beyond. We have always been and always be open to talking to everybody but talking to everybody does not mean we are submitting," he said.

Mbalula also stated that the DA's objection to the budget had nothing to do with concern for the poor, but rather to protect their own interests.

"It's not because it has the interests of people at heart, but because it is determined to advance an agenda that prioritises privilege over progress," Mbalula said.

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You can watch his full statement below.

Other parties that rejected the VAT increase

While the DA stated that they would not support the budget speech, they weren't the only ones.

The Economic Freedom Fighters also stated that they wouldn't be supporting the budget, as they expressed frustration with the finance minister for increasing the VAT.

Speaking outside Parliament following the speech, EFF leader Julius Malema said they would not support an increase of any kind.

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party also rejected the increase. The party previously stated that it would bring the country to a standstill if the Minister included any sort of VAT increase.

The ANC will now have to look elsewhere for support. The United Democratic Movement (UDM), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Patriotic Alliance (PA) stated that they would back the budget.

Economy expert says no to VAT increase

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Budget Speech 2025: "No Finance Minister is ever happy to increase taxes": Godongwana amid VAT hike

Briefly News reported that it wasn't just political parties that were against a VAT increase, an economy expert was as well.

Maarten van Doesburgh said he hoped for a budget that focused on growing the economy and didn't include a VAT increase.

Van Doesburgh noted that an increase of any kind would have a negative impact on the already strained economy.

Source: Briefly News