EFF criticises Budget Speech delay as a sign of weak governance

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have condemned the postponement of the 2025 Budget Speech, calling it a “disgraceful and shameful” move that just shows the incompetence of the National Treasury and the Government of National Unity (GNU).

In an official statement released on Wednesday, 19 February, the EFF accused the GNU of attempting to “mask its internal contradictions, lack of direction, and total failure to provide economic leadership in a time of crisis.

The party stated: “The postponement of the budget is not a sign of democracy, maturity, or consultation—it is a symptom of weak, indecisive, and opportunistic governance that has left millions of South Africans uncertain about their future.”

The EFF further claimed that the Democratic Alliance (DA) and its allies were trying to spin their failure into an opportunity to craft a “pro-growth budget.” The party dismissed this notion as “laughable, ahistorical, and outright deceitful,” adding: “The DA, along with its neoliberal allies, has never cared about the interests of the poor and working class.”

EFF: VAT INCREASE NOT JUST TO BLAME FOR BUDGET POSTPONEMENT

According to the EFF, the budget was already finalised, and the only reason for the postponement is “deep divisions within the GNU, particularly over the reckless and disgraceful proposed increase in Value-Added Tax (VAT) from 15% to 17%.” The party alleged that the National Treasury and the DA-led “neoliberal faction” were determined to “punish the poor while protecting the white capitalist establishment.”

“The so-called deliberations are nothing more than a smokescreen for their anti-poor policies,” the EFF claimed.

‘NO MEANINGFUL DEBATE IN THE GNU’

The party rejected claims that there was any genuine debate within the GNU regarding the budget. “There is no ‘consultation,’ no ‘consensus-building,’ and certainly no serious effort to craft an alternative economic plan. The postponement is a desperate ploy to pacify public outrage and create the illusion that the GNU is listening, when in fact it is simply scrambling to secure the approval of its puppet masters in the private sector,” the statement read.

The EFF also accused the government of failing to prioritise policies that would benefit the poor, including:

• Scrapping the VAT increase.
• Expanding social spending to stimulate economic growth.
• Rejecting privatisation and recapitalising state-owned enterprises.
• Implementing a wealth tax and cracking down on illicit financial flows.

EFF CALLS FOR ACTION

The party urged South Africans to reject this pathetic attempt to spin failure as progress. It warned that the GNU was collapsing under its own contradictions and called for protests against austerity, VAT increases, and continued economic mismanagement.

The EFF also called on the ANC to abandon its right-wing coalition partners and work with progressive forces to reposition the National Treasury toward an agenda that prioritises the fight against poverty, unemployment, and inequality.