logo
Fiscal framework and revenue proposals scrutinised by NA and NCOP

Fiscal framework and revenue proposals scrutinised by NA and NCOP

eNCAa day ago

PARLIAMENT - Budget 3.0 looks set to pass through parliament.
MPs from the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces voted in favour of the 2025 Fiscal Frameworks and Revenue Proposals on Wednesday.
READ: Budget 3.0 | Fiscal framework up for debate
These outline economic policy and must be passed before any budget bills.
The first budget speech was not presented by the minister following an uproar in cabinet about a planned 2% VAT Hike.
The second budget presented a more moderate VAT hike but members of the GNU voted against it.
Senior research associate from the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, Andrew Donaldson unpacked the new budget with eNCA.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Mashatile avoids answering questions about 8 VIP protection service members cleared by Saps
Mashatile avoids answering questions about 8 VIP protection service members cleared by Saps

The Citizen

time6 hours ago

  • The Citizen

Mashatile avoids answering questions about 8 VIP protection service members cleared by Saps

The deputy president says he will address questions regarding the protection service members once the matter has been ruled on. Deputy President Paul Mashatile unyieldingly avoided answering questions linked to the eight South African Police Service (Saps) members of his VIP presidential protection unit during a question-and-answer session in parliament on Thursday. The eight were part of Mashatile's security when they were caught on camera assaulting civilians on the N1 highway near Olivedale, Johannesburg, in July 2023. In the widely circulated video, the VIP police officers – brandishing rifles and pistols – are seen jumping out of a BMW X5 and attacking the occupants of a VW Polo. This is what these thugs got away with after being acquitted of disciplinary charges. We must asked whether this is @SAPoliceService VIP Protection or State-Sanctioned Violence? #BlueLightMafia — Ian Cameron (@IanCameron23) May 6, 2025 They were not found guilty of all charges by the Saps after an internal investigation, but are still being tried in court. The members face 12 charges, including pointing a firearm; reckless and negligent driving; malicious damage to property; assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (Assault GBH); obstruction of justice; and assault by way of threat. ALSO READ: Mashatile reveals he spent R2.3m on travel, food, and laundry for Japan trip 'The matter is sub judice' Asked by opposition leader in the National Assembly and MK Party MP John Hlophe whether he has ever attempted to schedule a meeting with the victim, Mashatile said he didn't want to interfere with the legal process. 'I have not met with the victim because the matter is sub judice,' Mashatile said. 'The protectors are still due to appear in court again. Any engagements with any of the parties to the case could be prejudicial to them. Let's allow the courts to complete their work,' he added. The deputy president said he had full confidence in South Africa's justice system as a whole and welcomed the outcome of the police disciplinary inquiry that acquitted the eight members. Mashatile's answers to the rest of the questions surrounding this topic carried the same theme: let us allow the justice process to complete, and then we'll talk. This was the case when ANC MP Erald Cloete asked if Saps is prepared to make the record of the internal investigation, decisions and reasons for acquittal available. ALSO READ: Police confirm Mashatile convoy shooting, 'reinforces' security 'My approach is that we should allow the process to conclude. Obviously, justice must be done… That judgement will help us to build a way forward,' Mashatile said. Watch the Q&A session here: Another MP objected to him avoiding questions and hiding behind the matter being sub judice. Annelie Lotriet, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, came to Mashatile's rescue. 'We have made rulings before in the house that the presiding officers cannot adjudicate whether a question has been fully answered or not, so we will proceed on that basis,' Lotriet said. Accused out on bail Shadrack Molekatlane Kojoana, Johannes Matome Mampuru, Posmo Joseph Mofokeng, Harmans Madumetja Ramokhonami, Phineas Molefo Boshielo, Churchill Mpakamaseni Mkhize, Lesiba Aggrie Ramabu and Moses Fhatuwani are currently out on R10 000 bail each. The matter, which resumed on 10 June, is being heard at the Randburg Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg. NOW READ: UPDATE: Mashatile insists he's well protected after vehicle shooting incident

One year on, SA's GNU marked by dysfunction and missed opportunities
One year on, SA's GNU marked by dysfunction and missed opportunities

IOL News

time10 hours ago

  • IOL News

One year on, SA's GNU marked by dysfunction and missed opportunities

A year into South Africa's Government of National Unity, political compromise remains elusive, raising concerns about gridlock, infrastructure decay, and coalition fragility amid hopes for economic reform and unity. As South Africa marks the one-year anniversary of its Government of National Unity (GNU), the country stands at a crossroads—again. The 2024 general election failed to produce an outright majority, ushering in a coalition arrangement intended to provide political stability and economic direction. But has it worked? That was the central question of a webinar hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) on Thursday, chaired by Professor Purshottama Reddy, a governance expert. The panel featured UKZN political science lecturer Zakhele Ndlovu, Merchant Africa director Advocate Lavan Gopaul, KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers, and Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Narend Singh. Ndlovu noted that despite the hope surrounding the GNU's formation, the country remains mired in indecision and dysfunction. 'Eight months ago, I said we were at a crossroads. Guess what? We still are,' he said. He cited legislative stalemates over key bills - the BELA, NHI and Expropriation Bills - as well as a deadlock on the national budget, as evidence of systemic gridlock. 'All these bills passed without DA support, yet the DA remains in the GNU. Some call it capitulation. I disagree,' said Ndlovu, arguing instead that the DA's legal challenge over the budget reflects profound unease. Still, there have been flashes of unity. Ndlovu referenced a recent White House delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa: 'Seeing GNU partners speak with one voice gives us hope.' Ndlovu narrowed his economic critique to two flashpoints: collapsing infrastructure and dysfunctional state-owned enterprises (SOEs). 'Electricity and water outages caused by poor maintenance are hurting business. Rail systems, especially those serving working-class routes like Stanger-Durban, have all but collapsed,' he said. He called the cabinet's portfolio allocations 'misaligned,' pointing to Defence Minister Angie Motshekga's lack of military experience. 'Appointments must be based on competence, not political horse-trading.' beg to differ,' Ndlovu said.

‘Luxury cloaked in secrecy' – Ntshavheni explains why she won't disclose her official travel expenses
‘Luxury cloaked in secrecy' – Ntshavheni explains why she won't disclose her official travel expenses

The Citizen

time11 hours ago

  • The Citizen

‘Luxury cloaked in secrecy' – Ntshavheni explains why she won't disclose her official travel expenses

ActionSA has accused Ntshavheni of evading public accountability by refusing to disclose her travel information. Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says she will not compromise national security for political expediency by disclosing information not meant for the public. The minister was responding to ActionSA, which on Tuesday wrote to the Speaker of Parliament, Thoko Didiza, to demand urgent intervention and 'defend the integrity of Parliament's oversight role'. The party sent a parliamentary question to the minister, requesting a breakdown of all her official travel and that of her deputy ministers since they assumed office on 3 July 2024. ActionSA had requested an explanation of the purpose and justification for each trip, destination details, costs incurred, and the names of the accompanying staff. ALSO READ: MK party calls for 'immediate suspension' of Khumbudzo Ntshavheni In her response, the minister wrote: 'The reply to this question is forwarded to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence.' However, this was not a satisfactory response, according to ActionSA. Ntshavheni 'brazenly evaded public accountability' The party released a statement chastising the minister for 'brazenly evading public accountability' with her response, which was sent 'four months late'. 'This is nothing more than a deliberate attempt to further shield her spending from scrutiny. This conduct cannot be allowed to stand, and the reply must be made public immediately,' said the party. 'Every minister in the government of national unity (GNU) was asked the same question on travel expenses. All others who responded did so in a transparent manner. Only the Minister in the Presidency has opted to hide, and we ask, 'why?'' ALSO READ: DA tells Ramaphosa to fire Ntshavheni: 'SA deserve better than growing list of crooks in your Cabinet' 'Is it because ActionSA recently exposed over R200 million in excessive GNU spending, including the Deputy President's outrageous R950 000 bill for four nights of accommodation in Japan and the R160 000 spent by the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture on a trip to Burkina Faso that never took place?' ActionSA accused the GNU of turning the public purse into a private travel slush fund, and the minister of disregarding the public's right to know how their taxes are spent. 'South Africans deserve leaders who serve with humility, not luxury cloaked in secrecy.' Briefing the media on the outcomes of the post-Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Ntshavheni said she does account for her actions, just not in the way ActionSA wants. ALSO READ: SSA employees over 50 years not being forced to take early retirement, says Ntshavheni The minister said her work on state security requires that some of her travel plans be kept confidential, as sharing them could compromise national security. 'Nothing wrong' Ntshavheni said the state security only discloses summits that the ministers are attending, not private meetings. 'It's just not the travel to say which country you have gone to, it's to say what meetings and all those other details. If you understand the nature of my work, you'll realise that 80% of my travel is for work related to state security. If we release it in public, it would compromise some of the initiatives we're working on,' said Ntshavheni. 'You'll recall when the Russia-Ukraine war started and the African leaders initiative led by Ramaphosa to go to Ukraine, it required some of us to take that type of preparatory work for that and if you disclose such details, you compromise the operations that you are running as a country and thus fail national security. ALSO READ: SSA corruption accused will be brought to book, MPs told as independent panel takes shape 'It is for that reason that the National Strategic Intelligence Act has provided the joint standing committee on intelligence for us to fully account for those things that cannot be fully shared in the public domain. 'There are meetings that we attend that we do not post at all, because what we have posted are summits, not meetings. There is nothing wrong because we are allowed by law to provide the committee, unless ActionSA wants to claim the committee has no capacity to hold us accountable. Those members were appointed by parliament and sworn in to hold us accountable. We will not sacrifice national security for political expediency.' READ NEXT: Ntshavheni says AfriForum admitted farm murder stats are accurate, Kriel accuses her of lying

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store