MK Party Threatens Nationwide Shutdown if Budget Speech Includes VAT Increase, Social Media Divided

• The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party marched to the National Treasury offices in Pretoria on 10 March 2025 ahead of the upcoming budget speech
• Parliamentary whip Mzwanele Manyi warned that the party would bring the country to a standstill if there was a VAT increase in the budget
• Social media users were divided by the party's statement, with some agreeing on the VAT aspect but not the planned protests

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues. He spent 10 years working for a community newspaper before transitioning to online

GAUTENG - The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party is not interested in a Value-Added Tax (VAT) increase of any kind and would bring the country to a standstill if that were to happen.

Parliamentary whip Mzwanele Manyi made that clear during a march staged by the party on 10 March 2025.

Read also

Enoch Godongwana considered cutting SRD grant to avoid tax hike, SA wants bloated cabinet trimmed

The MK Party marched to the Pretoria offices of the National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) ahead of the budget speech on 12 March, warning about the impact a VAT increase would have on low-income households and small businesses.

MK Party threatens to bring the country to a standstill

Speaking at the march, Manyi explained that they were against any form of VAT increase.

“We are saying no increase in the VAT. We are not interested in 2 percentage points, we are not interested in 0.5, nothing,” he said.

Manyi argued that there were many other avenues the government could have used, including using the South African Revenue Service to recoup unpaid tax and clamping down on fruitless and wasteful expenditures.

Manyi was then asked by a Newzroom Afrika journalist what other avenues the party would be left with if a VAT increase went ahead, to which he mentioned peaceful protests.

Read also

2025 Budget Speech: Economy expert says South Africa needs more economic growth, not tax increases

“We are going to make South Africa come to a standstill. We are going to bring our masses; we are going to do a peaceful protest. Our constitution allows us to do that,” he added.

You can watch Manyi’s comments below.

VAT hike still on the cards

The MK Party’s concerns come after reports that a VAT increase could still be on the cards. A 2% VAT hike was proposed in the initial speech planned for 19 February, but the failure of all parties in the Government of National Unity to agree on the increase led to the postponement of the speech.

Further meetings were then held to discuss the contents of the reworked budget, with a 0.75% increase reportedly being considered.

In an interview with Briefly News, the Head of Economics at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Maarten van Doesburgh, cautioned against a VAT hike, saying any increase would have a negative impact on the economy.

Read also

uMkhonto weSizwe Party and African Transformation Movement announce working partnership, SA divided

South Africans divided by MK Party’s stance

Manyi’s comments drew mixed reactions from social media users, with some agreeing with no more VAT hikes, but not in agreeance with plans to protest.

Tony Ganas said:

“If VAT or any tax goes up, we need to take serious action. We cannot keep paying for the luxury lifestyle of Ramaphosa and his cronies. Enough is enough.”

Charms Garcia stated:

“I doubt whether anything taxpayers do will stop it. We are never considered.”

Norton Van Deventer added:

“Instead of creating another unrest, we need to all take a stand together and be everywhere the ANC hides instead of where they want to keep us.”

Barry Bentley said:

“For once I agree with them and will join full stop. Enough of this government taking from us to promote their foul agendas. We are bleeding as South Africans. Enough is enough.”

Tshidiso Koena warned:

“Oh, don't take these ones lightly. Most of them have experience from KZN looting and unrests.”

Read also

DA conducts visit to US to fix strained relationship with South Africa, Mzansi divided by trip

Afrika X Mogashoa added:

“On this one they are right. You can be the enemy but when you speak sense I will listen and take note.”

Gondongwana considering cutting Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant

Briefly News also reported that Godongwana considered scrapping the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to save the country money.

The finance minister stated that scrapping the grant would mean there would be no need to increase taxes in the upcoming budget.

Social media users weighed in on the minister’s suggestion, adding that the government should cut the size of the bloated cabinet to save money instead.

Source: Briefly News