Parliament to host third tabling of 2025 budget on Wednesday

Parliament is set to host the third tabling of the 2025 national budget on Wednesday. The process follows two previous attempts that were halted due to political and legal challenges.

The initial budget presentation was cancelled in February following disagreements among Government of National Unity partners over a proposed increase in Value Added Tax (VAT).

In March, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tabled a revised budget, which included two separate VAT increases of 0.5 percentage points each, to be implemented over two financial years. However, the Western Cape High Court later interdicted the implementation of the increases after the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) challenged the process in court. As a result, a new budget was required.

In the upcoming session, Godongwana will present the 2025 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals. He will also introduce the Appropriation Bill and the Division of Revenue Bill.

Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo says the legislative body remains on track to meet its legal obligations.

“Parliament reaffirms its commitment to concluding the processing and adoption of the national budget within the stipulated legal time frame, which is four months after the start of the new financial year, as required by the Public Finance Management Act,” said Mothapo.

‘VAT victory march’

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will hold what it’s calling a ‘VAT victory march’ in Pretoria on Monday. The march is set to begin at the Union Buildings from where EFF members will proceed to the offices of National Treasury.

The party’s victory march comes after what the EFF has termed as a successful defeat of the VAT increase in parliament and court.

Last month the Western Cape Court suspended the 0.5 percentage point VAT increase in an application brought by the EFF and Democratic Alliance.

The EFF has maintained that parliament’s adoption of the fiscal policy framework was unlawful.

Streets that will be affected by this morning’s march include Stanza Bopape, Madiba, Paul Kruger and Lilian Ngoyi. -Additional reporting by Sibahle Motha

Hopes that Godongwana’s 3.0 budget is well received