South African National Assembly Speaker Didiza Dismisses Objections Report on Budget 2025 Procedurally Flawed

The DA, EFF, MK Party and ATM are among those who raised issues of procedural irregularities including in letters to the speaker on Wednesday.

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza (right) gave an update on SONA preparations on 5 February 2025. Picture: @ParliamentofRSA/X

CAPE TOWN - National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has dismissed objections from a number of political parties that a report on the 2025 budget fiscal framework before the house this afternoon is procedurally flawed. 

The Democratic Alliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and African Transformation Movement (ATM) are among those who raised issues of procedural irregularities including in letters to the speaker on Wednesday. 

But Didiza said she was satisfied the committee had not flouted any house rules on Tuesday night when it made amendments to the report without putting them to the vote. 

The most contentious amendment is that the report be adopted provided that the value-added tax (VAT) increase is removed within 30 days. 

Off the back of a flurry of letters to the speaker’s office on Wednesday, political parties were quick on their feet on Wednesday afternoon to once again register their objection to the committee processes. 

The DA's chief whip, George Michalakis, said, “If the house considers that report, despite the procedural defects, that this house would be complicit in what we believe to be an illegal report at this stage.”

The EFF’s Omphile Maotwe said, “We are putting it to you that you’ve been misled, to believe that happened in the committee, because it did not.”

Didiza said she responded to all the letters she’d received and found nothing untoward about the committee’s marathon proceedings.

“I’m not convinced that the committee contravened the law or the rules when finalising its report. There’s no legal impediment preventing this house today [Wednesday] to proceed with its business.”

The business of the house continues.