WATCH | Budget speech delay sparks outrage as opposition slams GNU leadership

Budget Speech

Cape Town — Following an unexpected call by Parliament to postpone the 2025 Budget Speech, several opposition parties have raised concerns over the controversial decision.

Parliamentary Speaker Thoko Didiza said that the postponement was necessary to allow officials to reassess the budget’s details.

The speech, originally scheduled earlier, will now take place on 12 March 2025 to give Treasury more time for finalisation.

“As Parliament, we will not compromise our timelines to deal with the budget,” Didiza said.

In response to the postponement, several parties expressed their disappointment in the Government of National Unity (GNU) over the decision.

In a statement, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rejected the postponement, saying it was “disgraceful” and “shameful”.

“This is nothing more than a desperate attempt by the illegitimate coalition government to mask its internal contradictions, lack of direction and total failure to provide economic leadership in a time of crisis,” EFF spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo said.

The party said the postponement was a symptom of weak, indecisive governance. It claimed the Budget Speech was finalised but deep divisions within the GNU led to the postponement, in particular the proposed increase of VAT from 15% to 17%.

“This postponement is a glaring indictment of the GNU’s incapacity to govern and its complete disregard for the poor and working class” Thambo added.

uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party chief whip, Mzwanele Manyi, said the cancellation of the budget speech was a sign of a crisis within the GNU and the country, and criticised the lack of leadership.

“This day is a shocker. We are very shocked. For the past 30 years, to have a day like this is a serious indication of the crisis this country is facing. This country has got no leadership,” he said.

‘If we say we have democracy, let democracy come and exercise itself here. Let the Minister of Finance come and say whatever he wanted to say. We don’t want to hear rumours. We hear very disturbing rumours that VAT was going to increase by 2%, in other words, we hear rumours this ANC-led government wanted to impoverish our people,” Manyi said.

African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader, Vuyolwethu Zungula was disappointed with the decision to allow the postponement of the Budget Speech.

“We cannot allow a case of incompetence from the executive and make it look like the whole Parliament is incompetent. The executive did not know yesterday that there is going to be a budget today and there is no agreement in the so-called GNU,” he said.

“The Minister of Finance must come here, present what he has and let us as the representatives of the people decide for the people. This notion of saying you want to assure the markets is problematic. This house does not belong to the markets, it belongs to the people,” he added.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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