By Johnathan Paoli
The National Assembly has officially approved the 2025 national budget tabled by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, passing it by a razor-thin margin of 194 votes to 182.
The budget’s passing came after heated debates and allegations of irregularities, with opposition parties fiercely contesting key provisions, particularly the proposed 0.5 percentage points increase in Value-Added Tax (VAT).
The budget vote was briefly disrupted when the Democratic Alliance objected to members of the Patriotic Alliance entering the chamber after the doors were meant to be locked.
Despite this, the vote proceeded, securing enough support to push the fiscal framework through.
However, the controversial VAT hike, set to take effect automatically on 1 May, remains a key point of contention.
The Democratic Alliance has announced it will file papers in the Western Cape High Court to challenge the passing of the budget.
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