FIKILE: LET'S BUDGET FOR THE POOR

African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has called for the new national budget to be “pro-poor”. 

Following a ruling by the Western Cape High Court to block the adoption of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s fiscal framework and suspending the 0.5% value-added tax (VAT) increase, the minister confirmed he will table the revised budget in Parliament on 21 May.

In light of the unpopular initial plan, Mbalula told journalists this week: “It has to be a people’s budget — a budget that does not retreat into austerity, nor sacrifice long-term transformation at the altar of technical compliance.

“Instead, it balances pro-growth policy with pro-poor spending, rooted in the developmental ethos of the Freedom Charter and the democratic values of the Constitution.”

Mbalula further stated that the ANC will continue to engage with political parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU), including the Democratic Alliance (DA), on the revised fiscal framework.

“Our goal is to sustain the work that we started after the initial Fiscal Framework was tabled in Parliament and build consensus around a progressive medium-term fiscal strategy that takes us out of the austerity cycle into a comprehensive Growth Agenda,” he said.

Meanwhile, a budget of no confidence was tabled against Godongwana by the MK Party.

But the ANC said the minister can not resign without a clear reason.