By Simon Nare
Ahead of the much-anticipated Budget speech on Wednesday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has admitted that the party has met Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to discuss budgetary matters.
However, he categorically denied reports that the party tried to influence the final draft of the Budget speech.
This follows Business Day newspaper reporting on Monday that Godongwana was summoned to the party’s headquarters to meet national officials to lobby for their support to approve the final Budget.
Addressing reporters at the conclusion of the party’s national working committee (NWC) visit to the Free State, Mbalula confirmed that the ANC met Godongwana to discuss the Budget to get a report as this was a political hot potato.
“Yes, we met, and we discussed the Budget and that’s it. As a political party, we exist for that. We need to get a briefing from our deployees and we discussed the matter of the Budget as an ongoing [process],” Mbalula said.
He said like every South African, the ANC was interested to know about how the Budget was shaping up ahead of its scheduled tabling in the National Assembly in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The tabling was postponed after parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) could not agree on a proposed two percentage points VAT hike.
The Cabinet has held several meetings to find solutions on how the minister should find another way of raising the R60 billion deficit. Following one meeting, the Cabinet revealed that it had provided Godongwana with several options, but did not specify the nature of the options.
“We want the minister to deliver the Budget on Wednesday and we keep ourselves abreast about what are the challenges that we are facing from the point of view of this Budget, and we discuss it in that context,” said Mbalula.
“It’s an important item now in our political life and that must be resolved, and we can’t resolve it alone. Government cannot resolve it on its own; it must resolve it in concert with the people. And that is important to take our country forward.”
Mbalula said there were people protesting and raising objections about the option to increase VAT while others were suggesting that wealth and corporate tax should be introduced to raise funds.
“The fundamental question before us is how do we address the shortfall and we support the minister working with everybody at the level of government and government working with everybody,” he said.
Turning to the NWC visit to the province, Mbalula denied suggestions that the party was in the Free State to consolidate structures ahead of the national general council, saying it was to consolidate structures as part of its renewal programme.
“We are not talking to our structures through WhatsApp groups. We come direct and that is what we are doing here. We have structures of the ANC (from) the length and breadth of the province. We are satisfied with the turn up in those meetings and at the same time with engaging directly,” said Mbalula.
“We are not replacing the provincial executive committee. We are doing what is expected of us to set the structures on the ground. And for what we have identified as challenges, we have put to the PEC to attend to them,” he said.
Mbalula said the party had full confidence in the provincial executive committee (PEC) led by chairman Mxolisi Dukwana and provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng.
He added that the two had worked very hard to make sure the party achieved 51% in the 2024 general elections.
Mbalula said that during the NWC visit, it was discovered that some of the branches had collapsed and would have to be revived.
He said the party was confident of winning the local government elections in 2026.
“There are things that we have come across as we go down, which borders on lack of performance, and action must be taken. And some of them have been isolated from the details. So, you will see that a collective leadership will act on these issues,” he said.
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