DA slams ANC for dismissing its budget proposals

CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) has slammed the African National Congress (ANC) for dismissing its budget proposals, which it believes are reasonable, politically neutral and designed to spare citizens from unnecessary tax increases.

The ANC, meanwhile, said it was not prepared to be locked into an agreement with its main GNU partner to pass its contentious budget which proposes the first VAT increase since 2018.

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DA spokesperson Karabo Khakhau said that all was not yet lost and the talks with the ANC continue.

"That conversation is yet to be concluded, we are not done yet. But what is important to communicate here today is that South Africans still deserve a budget that makes sense, a budget that at its heart puts the interests of South Africans forward, and those interests are economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation and bridging the gap between the rich and the poor in this country."

Meanwhile, speaking on the sidelines at Parliament on Tuesday, ANC national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, said that the GNU was not just about the ANC and the DA.

"If it’s not going through, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. It will not collapse the GNU and people who do not want to be in government, who want to be opposition to the GNU, will themselves take a walk."

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance is meeting on Tuesday to discuss finalising the fiscal framework before any of the money bills can be voted on to pass the budget.