Parliament confident Godongwana will table budget

CAPE TOWN - Parliament is confident the finance minister will table a budget next week.  

It said preparations are in place for a second attempt at delivering the expenditure plan after minister Enoch Godongwana was scuppered at the eleventh hour last month from tabling the money bills.

Political parties insist that they won't back another attempt to hike taxes even at a lower rate to fund the country's R2.8 trillion budget.  

Cabinet said on Monday it had made all the necessary input for Godongwana to rework his budget after the Government of National Unity parties railed against his original plan to increase value-added tax to 17 percent.  

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On Thursday, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)'s Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi pressed parliament's presiding officers about contingency measures should Godongwanaa again not be able to table the budget on Wednesday.  

House chairperson Cedric Frolick said speaker Thoko Didiza raised the issue at a meeting of parliament's chairpersons on Wednesday.  

"The speaker addressed the chairpersons on the matters and indicated quite clearly that the budget will be tabled. And, parliament has certain mechanisms in place to deal with such eventualities."

In a statement, parliament said Godongwana will outline all the financial, economic and social commitments the government will prioritise in its planned expenditure.