Minister ‘likely to stay’

ANALYSTS: GODONGWANA WON'T BE OUSTED AFTER TAX HIKE FIASCO

- Faizel Patel

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is unlikely to lose his job over his push to raise value-added tax (VAT), which the EFF described as "both incompetent and arrogant".

This is according to North-West University professor and political analyst André Duvenhage.

EFF leader Julius Malema said on Monday the budget deadlock in parliament could have been resolved much earlier if Godongwana had taken the objections seriously.

"We emphasise: while the VAT increase was a particular trigger, the entire 2025 budget as formulated by the minister of finance is fundamentally flawed.

"The National Treasury's neo-liberal dogma, obsession with austerity and blind loyalty to the white capitalist establishment have no place in South Africa's current economic realities," Malema said.

Duvenhage said many parties had capitalised on the Western Cape High Court's order to suspend VAT.

"Many parties, even the ANC, tried to capitalise on a decision going primarily against them.