Anc, Da Seek Budget Compromise By April

Negotiating teams for the ANC and Democratic Alliance hope to reach a compromise before the fiscal framework for the budget is due to be presented to MPs at the beginning of next month.

The parties have been at loggerheads over national treasury's plans to raise VAT, with the DA pressing for it to cut spending and adopt measures to fire up the economy instead.

A business-friendly coalition was established after last year's elections failed to produce an outright winner, but the ANC has angered the DA and some of its smaller rivals by unilaterally pushing through new education, health insurance and land expropriation laws.

The added tensions over the budget have increased concerns about the durability of President Cyril Ramaphosas administration and weighed on the rand, with recent opinion polls indicating a slight decline in its public support.

Senior ANC members have publicly accused the DA of behaving as if it's still in the opposition, with finance minister Enoch Godongwana among those criticising its approach. It's untenable to have a situation "here people constitute themselves as an opposition inside government", he said in an interview.