‘Procedurally flawed' fiscal report under fire in Parliament
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has dismissed objections from opposition parties, insisting that the Standing Committee on Finance followed due process in adopting the 2025 budget framework report.
The Wednesday sitting got off to a heated start, with MPs from the DA, EFF, ATM, and MK Party arguing that the report should be withdrawn and sent back to the committee for proper legal procedures.
The report was adopted on Tuesday evening by six of the 11 political parties on the committee.
It includes recommendations by ActionSA, calling for the Treasury to propose alternatives to tax hikes within 30 days while scrapping the VAT increase and adjusting personal income tax brackets.
The dispute centres on the claim that the committee failed to follow legal procedures before adopting the report.
Despite their usual ideological differences, opposition parties found common ground in challenging its legitimacy.
DA Chief Whip George Michalakis told Didiza that the report does not meet legal requirements.
"Madam Speaker, you would have received my letter this morning stating our view that the report published today did not include the final recommendation presented to the committee last night, as reflected in the ATC.
"Therefore, it does not fulfil Section 8(4) of the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act.
"The matter is in procedural default. Keep in mind that the VAT increase will take effect on 1 May. I urge you to send the report back to the committee on procedural grounds—because if the House considers it now, we will be complicit in what we believe is an illegal report," said Michalakis.
ATM leader Vuyolwethu Zungula and EFF MP Omphile Maotwe echoed these concerns, accusing the committee of failing to properly adopt the report as required by law.
"I want to echo the concerns raised by the DA, as well as the MK Party and the EFF, regarding the flawed process followed in adopting the report. Based on this, we submit that the committee must be directed to follow proper legal procedures, ensuring that when the report reaches the House, it has gone through the correct legal channels," said Zungula.
EFF MP Omphile Maotwe strongly criticised Didiza’s handling of the matter.
"Speaker, we wrote to you last night, and your response this morning is deeply unsatisfactory.
" I put it to you that you have completely missed the point by citing a rule that suggests this was merely a committee process when, in fact, it is a legal requirement.
"If you refer to the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, Section 8, Subsection 4 clearly states that there must be a clear decision on whether the fiscal framework and revenue proposals are accepted or amended.
"Speaker, you have been misled to believe that this process took place in the committee—it did not. In your response, you stated that you received advice confirming it happened, but as someone who sat in that committee from morning until evening, I can tell you with certainty that it did not.
"This is not just a procedural issue; it is a legal requirement. We appeal to you to suspend today’s proceedings and instruct the relevant staff to rectify this process in compliance with the law.
"If you proceed, Speaker, it will be procedurally unfair and unlawful," said Maotwe.
MKP Chief Whip Mzwanele Manyi also urged Didiza to adjourn the House for 10 minutes to verify the facts, arguing that the report misrepresents its adoption process.
"The report misrepresents the basis of its adoption, failing to acknowledge that the majority position was secured through an unlawful conditional acceptance. This omission distorts the record and undermines the transparency required in parliamentary proceedings.
"Additionally, the MK Party’s proposed amendment was dismissed without proper legal consideration, and members were not given the opportunity to formally accept or reject corrections before the final vote. The final version of the report was only made available after the meeting, making it impossible for members to have voted with full knowledge of its contents," said Manyi.
Despite the objections, Didiza ruled that the House would proceed with its business.
"Having considered the 2025 fiscal framework, the committee has adopted the report. I am not convinced that there is any legal impediment preventing this House from continuing with its business today."
Opposition parties remain united in their call to suspend the sitting, signalling strong resistance to the national budget ahead of the vote.
ALSO READ
