Then Chief Justice Raymond Zondo administering the oath to Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen at the swearing-in ceremony of ministers in the Government of National Unity Cabinet.
Image: File
African National Congress Chief Whip, Mdumiseni Ntuli says the ANC is confident of securing adequate consensus to pass the fiscal policy framework in the parliamentary portfolio committee on Tuesday, as well as in the sitting of Parliament on Wednesday.
IOL reported on Tuesday morning that despite promising discussions, the long-standing deadlock between the ANC and DA over the national budget remains unresolved.
On Tuesday morning, just hours ahead of Parliament's Finance Committee meeting, DA leader, John Steenhuisen took to social media to announce that the ANC refused to finalise an agreement with his party on growth and spending reforms "imperilling the GNU".
On the other hand, on behalf of the ANC, Ntuli told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that his party has reached consensus with all other parties represented in Parliament, except the DA.
“The ANC is absolutely confident that having listened to all political parties in Parliament, attempted to persuade them and be persuaded by them, we now have a sufficient consensus to go through the portfolio committee this morning and agree on the fiscal framework, and agree on the process which we are going to work together to deal with what remains the matter of concern to us now, the 0.5 percent VAT increase,” said Ntuli.
He said over the past two weeks, the ANC has managed to negotiate and secure consensus on all other outstanding issues with all political parties except for the DA.
Ntuli added that ANC’s engagements with the Freedom Front Plus were still on by Tuesday morning.
Regarding the impact of the impasse on the Government of the National Unity, where the ANC and DA are the major stakeholders, Ntuli said it remains to be surprising for the DA to remain in government.
“I do not know if the DA will remain part of the GNU when Parliament has passed a budget that they do not support. I am yet to see. I have never seen it anywhere in the world where a component of any kind of coalition or a Government of National Unity decides to stand very firm and oppose a budget, and remain in government. I will see if that is going to happen in South Africa,” said Ntuli.
“Our own view is that, and we have been telling the DA, it is not appropriate to engage with the ANC and all other political parties via the media and social networks. Come to a bilateral (meeting) as we did last night.”
While both parties have expressed optimism about their dialogue, crucial differences persist, casting doubt on the immediate prospects of a breakthrough.
The impasse continues to overshadow the financial planning for the country, with no clear path forward in sight.
In the final stretch ahead of the budget vote, both parties have been engaged in talks to find ways to get the budget through parliament.
IOL
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