Edward Kieswetter says taxpayers’ willingness to comply has been eroded by poor governance

The Democratic Alliance launched the application against the finance minister, the South African Revenue Service, the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces.

The Inkatha Freedom Party president said the VAT debate should not be weaponised to derail the coalition government’s primary mandate of ensuring economic stability and service delivery

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

The finance minister suggests that much of the opposition wrangling is part of a broader political battle

Any VAT increase is probably off the table, leaving the treasury to look for revenue without bringing the coalition to the brink

If value-added tax were to be used to fund the insurance, it would have to rise from 15% to 21.5%