The people have no meat, then let them eat offal – VAT free

The food items added to the value-added tax (VAT) exemption basket in Budget 2025 shows just how disconnected the Treasury is from poor people in South Africa, by only adding offal meat instead of items such as frozen chicken.

- Ina Opperman

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana only added edible offal of sheep, poultry, goats, swine and bovine animals, specific cuts of meat such as heads, feet, bones and tongues, dairy liquid blends and tinned or canned vegetables to the list of zero-rated foods.

Mervyn Abrahams, programme coordinator at the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity group, says only zero-rating offal as a source of protein shows what the Treasury thinks of the most vulnerable people in our society.

"Many people buy offal to eat because they cannot afford better cuts of meat."

"It just emphasises the inequality in South Africa."