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
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The Democratic Alliance had threatened to withhold its vote unless President Cyril Ramaphosa fired the errant higher education minister
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 Democratic Alliance won’t back the budgets for the departments of higher education, human settlements and police
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The Human Rights Commission and legal experts say the Constitution, the National Health Act, the UN Refugee Convention and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights obligate South Africa to provide basic healthcare to all people in its borders
By keeping Morero in office, Johannesburg’s politicians showed open disregard for ratepayers, putting political deals above leadership, accountability and basic service delivery
Some ANC members want former speaker Margaret Arnolds to return after the incumbent was ousted
Nobuhle Mthembu was ousted as speaker as the ANC moved to punish ActionSA for refusing to back Morero
Al Jamah-ah has denied striking a deal with the DA to oust the ANC mayor, despite claims it lobbied parties and has been eyeing the seat
The DA leader’s interest in the position has sent political parties scrambling to find stronger candidates as the 2026 municipal elections loom
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There has been nothing remarkable about the government of national unity’s first year in office, but the steadying of the ship has been invaluable
Democratic Alliance federal leader’s possible comeback as Joburg mayor also rattles rivals
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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 premier and provincial co-convenor said the party would resurrect itself in Gauteng because there was no better alternative
The finance minister says his U-turn on a VAT hike was a collective decision of the government of national unity
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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
Amending his proposal at this stage would force more borrowing, the minister warned in papers filed in response to the DA
The parties remain divided over an increase in VAT, which the DA says South Africans cannot afford
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The stand-off between the two parties dates back to 19 February when DA leader John Steenhuisen made clear the party would not support a national budget that proposed a two percentage point increase in VAT
Tension between the DA and ANC persists but ActionSA may keep them together
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South Africans have, in recent years, looked beyond the ANC in hope of finding new voices capable of holding the line on spending and corruption. Instead, what they have received is a bewildering capitulation and weak opposition
The Democratic Alliance’s federal executive has held an urgent meeting to decide how to respond to an invitation to talks by the ANC’s national working committee
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Both parties are mindful of the magnitude of a split as South Africa faces more economic turmoil
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In its court papers filed on Thursday, the party said the fiscal framework that will lead to the tax increase was pushed through unprocedurally
The Democratic Alliance now plans to challenge the fiscal framework in court, further raising the tension around its future in the ruling coalition
The ANC has so far rejected conditions on which the DA would agree to support Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s 0.5 percentage point VAT increase for the coming fiscal year
The ANC’s coalition partners demand changes, citing the financial burden on residents
The Economic Freedom Fights won’t back a motion to remove Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, despite acknowledging the same concerns raised by opposition parties about his leadership
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This move is in line with the Economic Freedom Fighters’
plan to survive beyond the 2026 local government election
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The Democratic Alliance said the budget would struggle to pass in parliament, given the ANC’s lack of a majority
The South African Municipal Workers Union said it would not march but would ask for a meeting with the president when he visited the city
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