EFF and MK Party reject all dept budget votes in NCOP
While parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) like the Freedom Front Plus also rejected some budgets, they supported most of the votes considered by the NCOP on Wednesday.
Former Mpumalanga premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane was elected NCOP chair. Picture: Parliament of RSA/X
CAPE TOWN - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party have continued their complete rejection of all department budget votes in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
While parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) like the Freedom Front Plus also rejected some budgets, they supported most of the votes considered by the NCOP on Wednesday.
The NCOP on Wednesday also considered the Appropriation Bill after its adoption by the National Assembly.
Keeping to their promise to oppose the GNU government at every turn, the official opposition MK Party and its Progressive Forum counterpart continued where they left off in the National Assembly.
With the NCOP the last hurdle to get money appropriated to departments for their budgets, the two parties opposed all appropriations from education to police.
The MK Party’s Mmabatho Mokoena spoke on the Presidency budget.
"We as uMkhonto weSizwe reject this vote. The gap between rich and poor continues to widen and economic inequalities persist."
The EFF's Nolubabalo Mcinga: "The EFF rejects the budget of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. This department is the cornerstone of our democracy."
While the two biggest opposition parties opposed all 40 appropriation budgets for departments, the African National Congress (ANC) said the GNU would not be derailed.