Cape Town — The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has called on the members of the Progressive Caucus for a national shutdown to protest against the VAT increase.
In a statement, the MK Party said the VAT increase was “punitive, anti-poor and anti-working class” and said now was the time to fight back.
“The Ramaphosa administration’s reckless decision to increase VAT by 0.5% is nothing short of economic assault on the black poor majority and struggling small businesses in this country,” MK’s Nhlamulo Ndhlela said.
The aprty said the increase comes at a time when millions of South Africans are barely surviving and are burdened by high food prices, unaffordable electricity, fuel hikes and rising unemployment and poverty.
The party said the Ramaphosa regime and it’s white coalition partners have chosen to push South Africans into further poverty to serve their best interests.
[MEDIA STATEMENT]: MK PARTY ENGAGES PROGRESSIVE PARTIES AND CIVIL SOCIETY FOR A NATIONAL SHUTDOWN AGAINST THE
PUNITIVE, ANTI-POOR AND ANTI-WORKING CLASS -VAT INCREASE. pic.twitter.com/DqHrhZb7Jk— uMkhonto WeSizwe Party (Official) (@MkhontoweSizwex) March 14, 2025
The MK Party proposed alternatives to to the VAT increases that would have spared the working class.
This includes stregthening SARS to recover R800 billion in tax fraud, leaks and illicit finances, introduce a Wealth Tax for the ric and increase Company Tax to resitribute wealth and Adopting a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model for infrastructure development.
The MK said the Ramaphosa regime has deliberately ignored the solutions and instead opted for more punishment for the poor.
“The MK Party views this VAT hike not merely as a policy decision but as a declaration of war against the black working class, the black poor and black small business owners,” Ndhlela said.
The party said it would not allow the injustices to go unchallenged and siad it would engage with various parties to mobilse a national shutdown and bring the country to a standstill.
“We call on all structures, comrades, and aligned formations across South Africa to prepare for mass resistance. This white capital-led has eclared war on the poor – now the people will delcare war on their corruption, neoliberalism and betrayal,” Ndhlela concluded.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
