EFF's Julius Malema Willing To Engage ANC Over Budget Speech and Possibly Join GNU

• The African National Congress is going back to the drawing board as it seeks support for the budget speech to be implemented
• ANC member and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tabled the speech, and it met resistance within the Government of National Unity
• The Economic Freedom Fighters is reportedly willing to engage with the ANC, and this could open the door for the Red Berets to join the Government of National Unity

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties and Parliament.

JOHANNESBURG — The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president Julius Malema said he was willing to enter into discussions with the African National Congress (ANC) over the implementation of the budget speech, which Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tabled on 12 March 2025.

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What did Malema say about the budget speech?

In an exclusive interview with Sunday Times, Malema said he was willing to sit at the table with the ANC to negotiate an agreement for the party's support to implement the budget speech.

Godongwana amended the budget speech after party members of the Government of National Unity flatly rejected the 2% Value-Added Tax (VAT) increase he was set to propose in February when he was due to table the speech. In his recent speech, he announced that the government would increase the VAT by 0.5%.

Julius Malema initially rejected a VAT hike. The Red Berets made it clear that they would not support any tax increase as it would adversely affect the poor. Despite this, Malema said if the ANC approaches the EFF, the option would be for the budget to be reworked to find alternatives to the VAT increase.

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Malema said this would also open the door for the party to join the Government of National Unity.

Budget impasse an opportunity: Malema

Malema added that political parties' refusal to accept a VAT increase presents other parties not part of the Government of National Unity to possibly join the GNU. He said the initial talks about the GNU were focused more on positions in Cabinet than what the GNU set out to achieve.

The EFF's stance on the GNU

• The EFF's Julius Malema rejected the Government of National Unity in June 2024 after the 2024 General Election took place a month before
• He said that the EFF would not be part of a Government of National Unity with right-wing political parties
• He said he would support a Government of National Unity without the Democratic Alliance or Freedom Front Plus
• ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji invited the EFF to join the Government of National Unity in September

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South Africans disappointed in Malema

Netizens commenting on TimesLIVE's X tweet slammed Malema. Some called him a flip-flopper.

Wit Kant said:

"Flipflopper of note! The ANC promised them free land, and the small boy's heart is pumping fast and furiously."

Vusi said:

"I don't regret not voting for the EFF in the past elections. I had to punish them, because what is this?"

Natasha Huckfield said:

"He folded."

Isaac M.M said:

"Eish! Malema is a flipflopper. He says one thing today, and then tomorrow, he will say the other. He is power hungry to an extent that he would do anything to get that power."

Sfiso Mvelase kaGuda said:

"He's desperate for power."

Julius Malema said GNU has collapsed after budget speech conflict

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Julius Malema slammed the GNU and said it collapsed after the budget speech was postponed. Godongwana's speech was postponed from February to March, which he delivered on 12 March.

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Malema spoke in Parliament and delivered a scathing criticism of the Government or National Unity. He said that the government is denying the people of South Africa an opportunity to see what is happening in the country. He added that the government lacks the capacity to present a budget.

Source: Briefly News