EFF questions point of public hearings on budget framework, says appears to be futile exercise

CAPE TOWN - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have questioned the point of public hearings on the budget framework, saying it appears to be an exercise in futility. 

EFF Member of Parliament (MP) Sinawo Thambo said proof of this is the fuel levy increase coming into effect next week, while Parliament will still be considering the budget that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tabled last week. 

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party expressed a similar view during hearings on the fiscal framework held in Parliament on Wednesday, saying Treasury routinely ignores proposals made by the public. 

In an unusual move, the EFF on Wednesday made a submission to the joint meeting of the finance committees of both houses as a public stakeholder. 

But before that, Thambo questioned the value of public input, saying it was the court and not public opposition that resulted in a proposed value-added tax (VAT) increase being retracted. 

"I would love to say we value your inputs, but in reality, objectively, your inputs are part and parcel of a tick box exercise. I would presume for almost 30 years, Parliament has been wasting the collective time of all stakeholders."

Meanwhile, the MK Party’s Des van Rooyen, a former finance minister, wanted to know whether participants felt their submissions would lead to budget amendments, given that none of their previous proposals had been included in this third version of the budget.

"Are these processes really relevant? Are they taken seriously, or are our people just being taken for a ride?"

Van Rooyen said the budget appeared to be a thumb suck, and not based on evidence. 

Thambo proposed amending legislation that would require Parliament to debate tax increases and not for the finance minister to decide alone.