Enoch Godongwana Stands Firm, Finance Minister Won’t Resign Despite Criticism Over Budget Saga

• Enoch Godongwana has no intention of resigning, despite the growing calls for him to do so
• The Minister of Finance has been criticised for his handling of the 2025 budget by opposition parties
• The African National Congress has no plans to remove Gondongwana from his post either

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

GAUTENG - Enoch Godongwana will not be stepping down from his post as Minister of Finance, despite the numerous calls for him to do so over his handling of the budget.

The finance minister has faced a lot of criticism for the debacle surrounding the budget, which stretches back to 19 February 2025.

With Godongwana finally deciding to reverse a decision to implement a Value-Added Tax (VAT) hike on 23 April 2025, opposition parties and even some ANC members have called for him to step down.

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Godongwana remains defiant despite growing anger

Speaking on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Washington, USA, the minister defended his role.

"My job is to introduce money bills. Nothing says they must be popular," he said.

Godongwana also noted that without VAT on the table, he would now have to find ways to cover the expected R75 billion shortfall in the medium-term budget.

"I maintain that if the purpose for which VAT was raised is taken into account, its reversal will have a negative impact on those issues. That cannot be disputed," he stated.

Opposition parties want Godongwana gone

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who have been quite vocal about the budget speech from the start, have since called for the minister to step down.

The party claimed that the Budget was misguided, ill-conceived and reckless. As a result, they wanted Godongwana and the Treasury director-general to resign. You can view the party’s call below.

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Like the EFF, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has also called for the minister’s resignation. Party Secretary-General, Floyd Shivambu, made his and the party’s feelings clear on the matter on Thursday, 24 April.

“Comrades, as members of uMkhonto weSizwe, must demand that the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, must resign with immediate effect,” he said.

The ANC has come out in support of Godongwana, with Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula saying that there was no need to remove the minister from the post, as he had done what was expected of him.

What you need to know about Godongwana and the budget

• Godongwana claimed that no finance minister was happy to increase taxes, during his 12 March speech.
• Cabinet rejected the finance minister's revised budget, one without any tax hikes included in it.
• Godongwana hit back at the DA, saying that the party never submitted proposals as it previously claimed.
• The National Assembly voted in favour of Godongwana's budget, with the 0.5% VAT included.
• Godongwana told the EFF and DA that it was too late for him to reverse the VAT hike after they went to court.

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Godongwana scraps proposed VAT increase

Briefly News reported on 23 April that Godongwana had officially scrapped the proposed Value-Added Tax increase.

The minister made the decision late at night as the ANC was running out of support to pass the budget with it.

South Africans weighed in on the decision and made suggestions as to how the government could make up for the shortfall.

Source: Briefly News