Opposition parties slam Godongwana’s ‘fictional’ budget, warn of deepening economic crisis

By Simon Nare

South African political parties have slammed the budget tabled by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in the National Assembly, describing it as lacklustre and “fictional”.

Parliamentarians accused the National Treasury of relying on creative accounting to prop up a largely meaningless “fiscal anchor”, while prioritising debt stabilisation over land reform, free education, support for local government and industrialisation.

Reacting to Godongwana’s budget, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) called on “progressive forces” to make coordinated and substantive inputs during committee deliberations.

The party said the budget failed to appreciate the depth of the country’s economic crisis, describing it as “microwaved economic success” and out of touch with the realities of a struggling and deindustrialising economy.

“The growth of 1.4% in 2025, which was initially tabled as a baseless projection of 1.9% in March 2025, and the projected growth of 1.8% over the medium term, are dismal when compared to