Godongwana's intention to withdraw budget bills throws Parly programme into disarray

CAPE TOWN - The finance minister’s intention to withdraw at least three budget bills has thrown the parliamentary programme into disarray.

Speaker Thoko Didiza said she would wait for further communication from Enoch Godongwana before the party’s chief whips discuss rejigging the programme.

But opposition parties are unhappy about the uncertainty and want her to call an urgent meeting to map the way forward.

In a late-night statement on Wednesday, Godongwana announced he was retracting the value-added tax (VAT) rate hike, to 15.5%, which was due to come into effect in May.

The sudden overnight announcement by the finance minister coincided with the National Assembly’s weekly programme committee meeting on Thursday morning, at which it was due to agree on dates to debate the budgets of all government departments, and to vote on two key budget bills.

House chairperson Cedric Frolick outlined the Speaker’s plan of action to deal with the minister’s U-turn on the bills he tabled in March.

"Once more details are obtained, the whips will meet, followed by the programme committee, where a revised programme will be put up for consideration by members of the National Assembly programme committee."

But the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)’s Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi said this was not good enough, and wants the Speaker to call an urgent meeting of political party leaders to plot the way forward.

"We don’t have a budget. We can’t pretend as if things are normal."

She was supported by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s Visvin Reddy.

Frolick said amid the uncertainty, what was clear was that a vote on the Division of Revenue Bill, which apportions money to the provinces and municipalities, would not go ahead on 6 May.

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