There Are Other Revenue Streams Besides Vat Increase : Parliament

The Parliamentary Budget Office PBO says there are alternative revenue streams that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana can tap into if the proposed VAT increase is shut down.

The Executive Director of the Parliamentary Budget Office, Dr Dumisani Djantjies, says Parliament must also push Godongwana to reveal what other revenue generation streams were considered before the VAT hike increase was put on the table.

As the finance minister prepares to deliver his budget on 12 March , Djantjies says the Parliamentary Budget Office PBO is preparing to table an advisory paper to Parliament next week on how to consider the budget.

The PBO says the implications of the postponement of the budget are vague for now but there is still time to consider the budget within the law.

"It says by the 1st of April, the budget should be tabled. So, in a way we can still say we are still in a very safe space, but also there is a Money Bills Act which guides Parliament on how to process that budget when it is tabled, and the processes can only be triggered as soon as the budget is tabled. Now, we are in a state where it has not been tabled yet, and were still waiting for it. In my view, there is still a bit of room, at least until specifically on the 1st of April," says Djantjies.