A speak-out was held outside parliament ahead of the budget speech on Wednesday. Photo by Vincent Lali
13th March 2025 – Mzi Velapi & Vincent Lali
Civil society groups have come out against the national budget and called for its rejection as it is anti-poor. Trade unions, non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations protested against the national budget speech which was delivered on Wednesday. The budget speech had been postponed due to disagreement between the political parties that form the governing coalition over a proposed VAT increase of two percentage points. In his second attempt, finance minister Enoch Godongwana pushed through a one percent VAT increase to be phased in over two years.
The former trade union leader said that the VAT increase is to be split over two years with an increase of half a percent (0.5%), effective from April this year, and another half percentage point increase will come into effect April next year, taking VAT to 16%…