ANC says parties within the GNU shouldn’t feel betrayed by its efforts to garner support for proposed budget from opposition parties

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress(ANC) has said that parties within the Government of National Unity(GNU) shouldn’t feel betrayed by its efforts to garner support for its proposed budget from opposition parties.

With some coalition partners opposing the budget, the ANC has been forced to seek support outside the GUN in hopes of adopting it in parliament in the coming weeks.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's proposed budget has been a central topic at the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg.

Eyewitness News understands the ANC has held talks with both the MK Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in an effort to convince them to support for its budget.

Some have questioned why discussions outside the GNU were even considered, suggesting the talks should have been solely between parties in the Government of National Unity.

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But ANC NEC member Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said the party has always been open to engaging with all political organizations regardless of their involvement in the government of national unity.

"We do make the point that we are not only limited to the parties in the GNU. Principally, the DA and the Freedom Front Plus, because out of the total members of the GUN, it is those parties that have raised reservations around the 0.5% VAT increase," said Ramokgopa.

The ANC’s team of negotiators is still in discussions with other organisations and will report back to the party’s leaders once consensus is reached.

Meanwhile, the party's national executive committee is meeting for the third day on Sunday.