National Assembly adopts 'ANC budget' - what is the DA's next move?

The Money Show's Stephen Grootes is joined by Tshidi Madia, associate politics editor at Eyewitness News.

The National Assembly on Wednesday evening adopted the 2025 budget framework despite GNU partner the Democratic Alliance voting against it. They were joined by the Freedom Front Plus. 

The fiscal framework and report were approved with 194 votes in favour and 182 against, with no abstentions.

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The vote in the end was so complicated, in view of all the members absent, that it actually wasn't clear if the ANC and the GNU would get 'their' budget, reports EWN's Tshidi Madia.

The big question now, is what the DA decides to do next.

"The DA has to make sense of what happened - from my understanding they'll call another executive committee meeting after having one earlier today.  As you've heard from the leaked tapes by now, the decision not to support the Budget at this moment is the DA defining itself OUTSIDE of the GNU."

Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor - EWN

As Madia puts it, the party took a gamble with a risky political play and it didn't work out for them.

By last night already, she comments, the party had basically reached the point of no return as far as the national coalition is concerned.

What if an olive branch is somehow extended by the ANC?

It's only President Cyril Ramaphosa who could make that gesture, Madia says.

"Only then I think they could come up with something... Even the ANC has seen there are pockets of brilliance; they can't deny that some of the ministers from the DA have been good at their job and are good in the Executive."

Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor - EWN

"In an ideal world you'd think the President would want to work with those people, but also it's important for the DA to be managing its own internal politics in view of the elective congress coming up next year."

Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor - EWN