No Parties Objected To Vat Hike In Budget Consultations: Ntshavheni

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has revealed that no political party opposed the proposed VAT increase during pre-budget consultations.

Ntshavheni was addressing a post-cabinet briefing in Cape Town on Thursday, saying the tax increases will finance stability in South Africa.

She further says the Democratic Alliances DA opposition to Wednesdays budget speech has nothing to do with the VAT increase, but rather demands that the Expropriation Act be revised - as raised in a budget consultative meeting on the 3rd of this month.

"The demand from the DA as articulated by the leader John Steenhuisen after the post cabinet meeting indicates that their issue with VAT, by the way they there was not dispute on the 3rd of March, their issue with VAT has nothing to do with the interest of protecting the poor. Their issue with VAT is that they are always interested in making sure that we do not achieve the transformation gains this country has set itself to. It is about politics it is about the BELA Act that seeks to make sure that children have access to schooling in the areas that they reside. It is about NHI that demands that all South Africans access to basic and quality healthcare."

The DA called it an ANC VAT budget and said it is opposing the budget for this reason.