GNU parties appear united after Budget Speech postponement

CAPE TOWN - Government of National Unity (GNU) parties appeared to display a united front as opposition parties sought to blame the Democratic Alliance (DA) for scuppering the tabling of the national budget on Wednesday.

It's the first time in the country’s history that a budget tabling was cancelled at the eleventh hour.

While DA leader John Steenhuisen has hailed the postponement following disagreement over a proposed VAT increase as a victory for poor South Africans, opposition parties said the last-minute stunt showed up an incompetent executive.

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The budget is now expected to be tabled in three weeks time, giving GNU parties another opportunity to reach consensus on how government should fund its spending gap.

In a day of high drama that few saw coming, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza delivered the message that Cabinet could not agree on the 2025 budget 20 minutes after the finance minister was due to table it in the House.

While the DA has since the weekend indicated it would not stand for a tax increase, other GNU parties say this was not a battle between the African National Congress (ANC) and DA alone.

Sport, arts and culture minister and Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader, Gayton McKenzie: "A wise man changes his mind. We are united, this is not a one-party state."

Tourism minister and Good Party leader, Patricia de Lille, also hit back at opposition parties, saying her party too could not back the two percentage point increase that could rake in over R50 billion.

"The truth is all parties in the GNU agreed to the postponement, not only the DA or the PA - the IFP, Good, PA... please don’t play politics with our people."

Speaker Thoko Didiza said the postponement until 12 March won’t affect the parliamentary deadlines for passing a budget.