Transnet faced intense scrutiny in Parliament as MPs raised concerns about rising debt, weak governance and persistent audit failures in spite of signs of recovery

Labour federations Cosatu and the South African Federation of Trade Unions have led calls for a budget that addresses massive unemployment and weak growth

The Universal Basic Income Coalition said the government’s proposals to link the grant to employment-related conditions could exclude eligible beneficiaries

The chairperson of parliament’s standing committee on appropriations wants an updated breakdown of the hosting costs, warning that the summit must not pressure the national budget

According to a survey, 85% of managers reported that their clinics faced staffing shortages, though only one in five blamed these on the US President’s Emergency Plan For Aids Relief cuts

Democratic Alliance’s Helen Zille cornered the ANC’s Fikile Mbalula with the ultimatum to axe the minister or lose DA support on budget votes

The parties said the higher education minister’s dismissal was a vital step towards restoring accountability amid governance failures and allegations of political interference

The announcement comes as the bank foresees lower global interest rates and a weaker outlook for the local economy

The EFF criticises it as ‘unimaginative’ and not benefiting poorer South Africans, while the DA calls it a step towards ending ‘unchecked government spending’

Now that a VAT increase has been ruled out, the finance minister must find another way to plug a R75bn gap or risk collapsing public services and investor confidence

The president and the national treasury launched phase two of Operation Vulindlela on Wednesday, expanding its focus areas

The finance minister says his U-turn on a VAT hike was a collective decision of the government of national unity

Godongwana promises fiscal prudence in his new budget but the growth forecast may change

Meetings are due in coming days and weeks to undo the damage after the finance minister caved on the tax increase

The Democratic Alliance has claimed credit for the about-turn by the treasury on the tax, saying its legal team had presented a strong case against the flawed parliamentary process used to adopt the fiscal framework

The finance ministry in a midnight announcement said the decision was informed by consultations with political parties

Amending his proposal at this stage would force more borrowing, the minister warned in papers filed in response to the DA

A hostile response signals the start of the treasury’s struggle to avoid amendments to the 2025 budget

The Democratic Alliance said the budget would struggle to pass in parliament, given the ANC’s lack of a majority

His party would have yielded if any increases were guaranteed to be temporary and tied to an overhaul of state spending patterns