- ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula confirms ongoing budget negotiations with political parties for the 2025/2026 budget.
- The proposed 0.5 percentage point VAT hike faces significant opposition from parties like the Progressive Caucus and ActionSA.
- The Democratic Alliance offers conditional support for the VAT increase if the Expropriation Act is scrapped.
- Mbalula discusses the appointment of the next US ambassador to South Africa and unveils new ANC membership cards.
- The budget aims to address South Africa’s growing debt and fund social programs but faces resistance due to potential impacts on citizens.
- South Africa’s debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to reach 75 percent by 2025, increasing the urgency for fiscal consolidation.
- Public discontent over the VAT hike adds political pressure on the ANC-led government.
Source: centralnews.co.za
Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
