Speaker of Parliament Thoko Didiza concedes that funds were wasted as the Budget Speech was postponed.
Image: IOL
Speaker of Parliament Thoko Didiza conceded that funds may have been wasted as the 2025 Budget Speech was unceremoniously postponed, a precedent opposed by many opposition parties.
Didiza said that Parliament was forced to postpone the speech as they were informed by the executive that the GNU members did not agree on the speech that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was set to deliver this afternoon in Cape Town.
“We must acknowledge that this is unprecedented but as parliament we came to a realisation that there would be no speech presented as the GNU Chief Whips asked for postponement,” Didiza said.
The parties in the GNU, including the Democratic Alliance, supported the postponement, while opposition parties such as the ATM, UDM, EFF and MK Party rejected the move.
They called for the minister to account for the delay.
ATM leader Vuyo Zungula calls for the finance minister to present his Budget Speech. He said the notion of assuring markets is problematic, as the House belongs to the people.
Bosa leader Mmusi Maimane said the GNU had six months to plan for the budget speech but failed to plan.
“We all know the reasons they're postponing, it is due to the 2% VAT increase,” he said.