By Zukile Majova
- The DA voted against the national budget, pushing the ANC to consider cutting it from the government of national unity.
- Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and ANC leaders say the DA can’t stay in government if it won’t support the budget.
The ANC is preparing to kick the DA out of the government of national unity after the party voted against the national budget.
On Wednesday, Parliament passed the 2025 budget by just 12 votes – with 194 in favour and 182 against.
The DA, which has six ministers and five deputy ministers in the unity government, voted against it.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said: “I don’t think you can vote against the budget, and tomorrow you want to go and be part of its implementation. We have to draw the line.”
DA leader John Steenhuisen said the party was taking the fight over the budget to court.
“The DA negotiated for changes that would have ensured economic growth and job-creation, but the ANC unlawfully proceeded with a flawed process in Parliament,” he said.
The party also plans to hold an emergency meeting to decide its next move.
The vote has left the government of national unity hanging by a thread.
All week, the ANC has warned it would reconfigure the unity government if the DA didn’t support the budget.
ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe said the DA had effectively removed itself.
“There was one thing that was keeping us together – to keep stability in the country, make the country work. But if the DA walks away from the budget, it is actually destabilising the country.
“Once you say you are voting against the budget and yet you have ministers who must get budget allocations, you are walking out of government yourself,” he said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa formed the unity government after the ANC lost its majority in the 2024 elections. He invited the DA, IFP, PA, Good Party, FF+, PAC, Al Jama-ah, UDM and Rise Mzansi to join.
Pictured above: Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.
Image source: X
