By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Presidency has confirmed that the Cabinet meeting that was scheduled to take place on Thursday, 10th of April 2025 has been postponed indefinetly.
Thursday’s meeting was due to be the last one before recess, and Presidency downplayed the postponement saying that it was due to a scheduling issue.
Government of National Unity (GNU) is seemingly facing collapse, after Democratic Alliance (DA) ministers voted against the fiscal framework – a key part of the budget – in Parliament.
Two GNU members — the DA and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) — did not support the vote.
The fiscal framework, which includes a 0.5 percentage point VAT hike, was passed with the support of non-GNU parties including ActionSA and Build One SA (Bosa)
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya has dismissed the conspiracies, saying postponements were not anomalies.
The pairing of the DA and the ANC was seen as the best possible outcome for South Africa, with the GNU seen as pro-business and pro-reform, restoring some credibility to the once-majority party.
The GNU could proceed with smaller parties like Action SA and Bosa – the parties that supported the ANC in passing the budget – replacing the DA.
This would maintain the GNU’s perceived centrist position, but the grouping would lose its supermajority in parliament and potentially lead to disruptions down the line as the interests of 9 smaller parties come into play when passing legislation.
Meanwhile the DA said if Ramaphosa reshuffles his Cabinet and shows their ministers the door, it would mark the end of the GNU.
The party has since filed an urgent court application at the Western Cape High Court to interdict the implementation of the VAT increase.