Controversy over Godongwana's virtual attendance

THE meeting in Parliament where Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was to brief MPs about the 2025/26 Budget yesterday got off to a bumpy start with calls for its postponement.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

The EFF and the MK Party raised concern that Godongwana attended the meeting virtually and that each MP was asked to speak not for more than five minutes when making inputs.

EFF MP Omphile Maotwe said the arrangement made with Godongwana by the co-chairpersons of the finance and appropriation committees was very wrong.

“Why is the minister given a preference of being on a virtual platform which none of us is aware of?” Maotwe said.

She asked that the meeting be postponed and Godongwana be called again to come. “He is busy addressing other platforms, not this sitting. He knew about this sitting a long time ago,” Maotwe said.

Tidimalo Legwase, chairperson of the Select Committee on Appropriations, explained that MPs in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) knew the joint meeting was hybrid.

“We plan for hybrid sessions,” Legwase said.

In objecting to the allotted speaking times, EFF MP Sinawo Thambo said the meeting was not a continuation of the Budget process.

“We deal with a new Budget, a new Fiscal Framework and Revenue proposals. Let us allow as much input as possible,” said Thambo.