Cape Town – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema says Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana cannot simply reverse the Value-Added Tax (VAT) increase, as it was lawfully passed by Parliament.
Malema argues that a formal motion in Parliament is needed to nullify the VAT hike, stressing that the executive cannot override the legislature due to the separation of powers.
Although Godongwana announced that the planned 0.5 percentage point VAT increase would be reversed and tabled the Rates Bill confirming VAT would stay at 15%, the EFF insists proper parliamentary procedure must be followed.
“That letter is just for passing time because when something is passed in Parliament, government cannot write a letter to withdraw what was already passed because of what we call IT separation of powers. They must go back to where it was passed and say they are taking a motion to withdraw the approval of the budget fiscal policy,” SABC News quoted Malema as sayng.
Meanwhile, the EFF, like the Democratic Alliance (DA), has intensified its legal challenge by filing supplementary papers in the Western Cape High Court.
The EFF’s Statement on Filing Court Papers to Demand Reset of the 2025 Budget Process and Defend the Constitutional Integrity of Parliament
-The EFF has consistently maintained, both inside and outside Parliament, that as matters stand, South Africa has no lawful budget. The… pic.twitter.com/ovWeynHwEp
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) April 26, 2025
The party contends that South Africa currently has no lawful budget, claiming that the 2025 fiscal framework approval process was unconstitutional.
The EFF argues that Parliament must act with integrity to restore fiscal legitimacy and ensure governance serves the people, not political interests.
The EFF and DA’s case returns to court on Tuesday.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@GovernmentZA
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
