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The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has given notice to 192 political parties of its intention to cancel their registration, unless representations are made by March 24.

The IEC said the inactive parties, not represented in any legislative body, have not contested general elections since they were registered and had not renewed their registration by January of this year.

The South African Communist Party was one of the parties served with a notice.

The IEC said it was important to correct the size of the voting register to avoid unnecessary confusion for voters.

"Given increased contestation in elections and the ever-increasing entrance of new political parties, it is crucial that the register of parties is kept current and those parties with no intention of contesting future elections are de-registered," the IEC pointed out.

The IEC explained that the cancellation will free the usage of names, abbreviated names and colour schemes for the logos of aspirant electoral contestants.

There are currently 609 registered political parties, of which 383 are registered at national level while 226 are registered provincially or at municipal level.

The commission pointed out that there are several benefits that accrue from registration as a party.

"These are, among others, that the political party is entitled to protection by the Commission of its full name, abbreviation of its name, and its logo or symbol. In return, certain obligations are imposed on registered parties. Among those is that a party that is not represented in a Municipal Council, Provincial Legislature or the National Assembly must indicate to the Commission its continued existence. This prescribed indication must be received before the end of January each year," it said.

The list of parties that are facing the cut can be found here.

Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests says it has recommended that the Houses of Parliament reprimand nine MPs and impose fines ranging from R10 000 to R12 500, for failing to disclose their financial and registrable interests by the 2024 deadline.

The committee pointed out that item 12(4) of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members' Interests prescribes that after a general election, MPs must disclose their registrable interests within 60 working days of the opening of Parliament.

The MPs in breach are the African National Congress's Sihle Zikalala, Solomon Patrick Mabilo, Mluleki Dlelanga, Mzoleli Mrara, Masetshego Mofokeng, Moropene Ramokgopa and Andries Nel; the uMkhonto weSizwe Party's Nhlamulo Ndhlela; and Mkhuleko Hlengwa from the Inkatha Freedom Party.

The committee recommended that Dlelanga and Mabilo be fined R12 500 each.

It highlighted that Mabilo was given three opportunities after the due date to submit his disclosure.

"The Member was aware of the requests to submit the disclosure. The Member did not submit any reasons for the consideration of the Committee when evaluating whether the Member breached the Code. The Member's financial and registrable interests do not appear in the public register that was published on the Parliamentary website," it said.

All the other MPs will each get a reprimand in the House; and a fine of R10 000 for a first offence of breach of the Code.

The committee noted that Acting Registrar of Members' Interests, Advocate Anthea Gordon held extensive training sessions with MPs during 2024, to ensure that new MPs were aware of the obligation to declare their interests.

South Africa's budget may be tweaked further as more talks between political parties will try to overcome differences over a contentious plan to raise value-added tax, the country's finance minister told Reuters.

Most big parliamentary parties rejected Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's revised budget on Wednesday, despite it scaling back the size of the proposed VAT hike from 2 percentage points to 1 point, spread over two years.

Godongwana's African National Congress (ANC) needs the support of at least one other big party for the budget to pass, but its main coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance, is dead-set against any tax increases, as are other big parties outside the coalition.

The budget has been the biggest test for the fractious coalition formed last year when the ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid.

"There will be engagement which may lead to some amendments in the budget. It is the nature of the thing," Godongwana said in an interview in his parliamentary office late on Wednesday.

He said he was open to hearing proposals from lawmakers on how to change the budget, but they needed to understand the difficult trade-offs involved.

"Where we sit (as government), we say we've done our job and then it's for parliament to make the final call, but if they scrap the VAT which is R14-billion they must then say from an expenditure side what should be scrapped," Godongwana said.

He said a suggestion by some politicians that money could be saved by cutting the country's bloated cabinet would not yield the sort of money the government needs to fund spending on frontline services like health and education.

Godongwana said the budget now before parliament could be the most controversial for years because the government was not likely to try to raise taxes again soon.

He said he thought the budget, which sees public debt peaking next fiscal year and the deficit falling gradually over the next three years, would be viewed favourably by ratings agencies but their main fear would be whether it gets through parliament.

"That's a test we've got to pass," he said.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile on Thursday addressed the BizNews Conference, in the Western Cape, where he gave government assurance on investment-linked policies to business leaders in attendance.

Following the much-anticipated Budget speech on Wednesday, Mashatile said its presentation by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, in the face of a postponement and disagreements, had been a lesson in improving processes.

He said while the Government of National Unity (GNU) would not agree on everything, it was "more powerful than many people realise".

"As I have indicated on several occasions, having a GNU Cabinet does not imply that we will agree on everything. There will be times when we do not view things the same way, but this does not spell the end of the GNU.

"Several coalition governments around the world have collapsed as a consequence of misunderstandings about the country's Budget - this is but a reflection of democracy at work," Mashatile said.

He pointed to government's commitment to the GNU with the establishment of the GNU Clearing House Mechanism, which he chaired, to resolve policy disagreements.

Mashatile noted that the National Development Plan's Vision 2030 and the newly adopted Medium-Term Development Plan formed part of government's efforts in development.

However, he said government should look beyond 2030 to 2055, which marks the Freedom Charter's centenary.

"As a nation, we have a duty to transform South Africa and create a country in which all South Africans, regardless of race, class, or gender, may enjoy a decent quality of life and access to economic opportunities that will improve their wellbeing. One of the primary transformational interventions and policies includes the Land Expropriation Policy," he highlighted.

The controversial policy, which the US used as reason to pull critical funding from South Africa, was vital to South Africa's plan to correct historical injustices, he said.

He explained that the 1975 Act did not clearly define critical legal terms, did not consider socioeconomic transformation and did not establish a structured process for fair compensation.

The new Act, he said, balanced land reform with legal safeguards.

"The speculations that assert that the signing of the Expropriation Act is responsible for farm murders are not only unfounded but also irresponsible. This issue has been prevalent within farming communities in South Africa for years now, and victims of this violence ainclude both farm workers and owners to varying degrees," Mashatile said.

He said the Rural Safety Plan was developed to address this, as it aimed to protect both farmers and the food security value chain.

"This means that rather than dismantling this approach, we must step up our efforts to implement the National Rural Safety Strategy to prevent violent crime on farms, working collaboratively with farming organisations and other vital role-players," he added.

US RELATIONS

Mashatile also assured business leaders of government's commitment to stabilise relations with the US, noting that it was essential to the country's economic development goals.

He said US President Donald Trump's decision to cut funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), was "regrettable" and created an urgent need for South Africa to strengthen its own health interventions.

"The withdrawal should serve as a wake-up call for the country to develop sustainable healthcare solutions independent of external influences. In this regard, we have been investing heavily in healthcare reform and responding to the dual epidemics of HIV/Aids and TB. The Department of Health has put measures in place to ensure that patients receiving TB and HIV treatment are not affected and do not default," he said.

Another point of concern is the possibility that the US could block South Africa from receiving African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) benefits, which he acknowledged would devastate farmers and the agriculture sector, as it g...

Following the presentation of the much-awaited and controversial Budget speech on Wednesday, the African National Congress (ANC) has accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of a "desperate attempt to undermine transformation" by rejecting the 2025 Budget.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula was briefing the media on Thursday, and further accused the DA of seeking to using the Budget process as leverage to renegotiate its role within the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana yesterday tabled his delayed Budget that included lower, yet still controversial, increases to the value added tax (VAT) rate, as he sought to hold the fiscal-consolidation line amid rising spending pressures.

The new proposal involved increasing the VAT rate by 0.5 percentage points in 2025/26 to 15.5% and by 0.5 percentage points in 2026/27 to 16%, rather than the immediate two percentage point hike to 17% proposed in the aborted Budget of February 19.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party would not support this Budget in its current form, vowing to continue fighting for economic growth and jobs.

Mbalula said the DA's rejection was not based on concerns for fiscal responsibility, but rather to "protect white monopoly capital" and roll back democratic gains.

"…not because it has the interests of people at heart but because it is determined to advance an agenda that prioritises privilege over progress," said Mbalula.

Meanwhile, the DA party blamed its GNU partner, the ANC, for "sacrificing" South Africans and "risking" the economy with the proposed Budget.

"It is deeply unfortunate that the ANC is prepared to sacrifice the South African people and risk the economic future of the country rather than accept it no longer has majority support. The ANC VAT Budget doesn't have a majority, and the DA won't give it one. It is now up to the ANC to fix the mess it has created," Steenhuisen stated.

Mbalula said the DA's demands exposed their "true intentions". He claimed that the DA wanted labour laws scrapped to allow employers to fire workers at will and that the party wants black economic empowerment policies to be abandoned.

He further claimed that the DA wanted to weaken institutions that had been established to reverse economic exclusion.

"…these are the same policies that entrenched inequality and racial capitalism in the past, and the ANC will never allow such regression. Their opposition to the VAT increase is not about protecting the poor, it is about ensuring that economic policies serve corporate interests at the expense of working-class South Africans," Mbalula said.

He accused the DA of seeking to create an "Israeli-Gaza type situation" using the Western Cape as "their political salvo".

"A scenario in which African and coloured people of the province would be treated as subhuman in the land of their birth. This is the reason behind their insistence on Cape Town's port being conceded and attempts to carve out an economic enclave where the interests of the privileged are protected at the expense of the majority," Mbalula averred.

He insisted the Budget proposal provided a framework for investment, industrialisation and economic transformation, to ensure that South Africa's wealth was shared among its people.

"The Budget is a step forward and with the continued support of the people we will ensure that it translates into real and tangible progress," he said.

Making headlines:

Lower VAT hikes included in delayed Budget that also draws on contingencies to match spending

Political parties reject Godongwana’s Budget

And, Dollar struggles to lift off lows as global trade war ramps up

South Africa established an expert panel to address issues in Africa during the country's chairmanship of the Group of 20 economies, including the continent's high debt burden.

African countries are collectively scheduled to pay almost $89-billion in external debt service costs this year alone, while 20 nations face the risk of falling into debt distress, according to a statement distributed by the National Treasury in Cape Town on Wednesday. High debt levels in Africa are curbing spending on health, education and infrastructure.

South Africa is the first country on the continent to host the Group of 20. The nation is using its presidency of the group, which accounts for 85% of the world's gross domestic product, to address issues facing Africa.

"The high level of debt is unsustainable and undermines efforts towards sustainable development and poverty alleviation," the Treasury said. "There is a need for bold and urgent action on a comprehensive plan to deal with the high levels of debt of Africa and other developing countries."

The Africa Expert Panel will be chaired by former South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson Ian Cameron said on Wednesday that the 155 illegal firearms seized by the South African Police Service (Saps) represented a "drop in the ocean" in the context of the illegal firearms that continue to be in circulation.

Saps has, through intelligence-led operations across the country, seized 155 illegal firearms over the past week.

However, Cameron said that until the Saps optimally used the might and prowess of the Intelligence Services, these small victories would not gather momentum and create the necessary ripple effect needed to stop crime and criminality.

He highlighted that illegal firearms continued to be the leading weapon of choice for violent crime in the country, calling for concerted effort to be made to remove them from the streets.

"…this cannot continue to be a talking point; action is long overdue," Cameron emphasised.

He explained that the seizures showed the value of "disruptive and intelligence-led operations in the fight against crime".

Cameron also congratulated the Western Cape police, a province which he saidwas hugely affected by gang violence and killing, for ensuring the seizure of 38 handguns in the province, saying the removal of these firearms had contributed to saved lives.

Furthermore, while it was commendable that 14 165 suspects were arrested, he highlighted that these arrests would remain "meaningless" if they were not followed up with effective criminal prosecution and incarceration.

Cameron also commended the Saps Anti-Kidnapping Task Team for rescuing an Ethiopian businessman from a kidnapping ring in Johannesburg.

"The upward trend in kidnappings requires decisive intervention and capacitation of the Anti-Kidnapping Task Team is one way of tackling the scourge and ensuring safety and security for all," he said.

Opposition parties have rejected Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's Budget speech, with the Government of National Unity (GNU) partner the Democratic Alliance (DA) stating outright that it would not support an increases in taxes.

Godongwana tabled his delayed Budget on Wednesday that included lower, yet still controversial, increases to the value added tax (VAT) rate, as he sought to hold the fiscal-consolidation line amid rising spending pressures.

The new proposal involves increasing the VAT rate by 0.5 percentage points in 2025/26 to 15.5% and by 0.5 percentage points in 2026/27 to 16%, rather than the immediate two percentage point hike to 17% proposed in the aborted Budget of February 19.

The DA blamed its GNU partner the African National Congress (ANC) for "sacrificing" South Africans and "risking" the economy with the proposed Budget.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party will not support this budget in its current form, vowing to continue fighting for economic growth and jobs.

"The DA made it clear to the ANC in the GNU that we would not support any increase in taxes, unless those increases were temporary, and the ANC agreed to a series of major reforms that would grow the economy, create jobs, reduce waste and bring down taxes within 3 years," he said.

He pointed out that the ANC refused to agree to these measures, and instead insisted on two likely permanent VAT increases, which he said cumulatively will increase VAT by 1% over the next 2 years.

"…as a consequence, the people of South Africa will be poorer, and the future of the government is at risk. the underlying problem is that the ANC has still not accepted the outcome of the general election and cannot bring itself to share power.

"It is deeply unfortunate that the ANC is prepared to sacrifice the South African people and risk the economic future of the country rather than accept it no longer has majority support. The ANC VAT budget doesn't have a majority, and the DA won't give it one. It is now up to the ANC to fix the mess it has created," he stated.

ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said his party unequivocally rejected the proposed 1% point increase in VAT - 0.5% points this year and 0.5 next year - as well as the hidden tax increase caused by the failure to adjust personal income tax brackets for inflation.

Beesley pointed out that these measures will "quietly extract more from hardworking South Africans while state corruption, mismanagement, and waste continue unchecked under the coalition government."

"While VAT may be the most efficient of the major taxes, it disproportionately harms the poor. At the same time, the refusal to adjust tax brackets for inflation amounts to a stealth tax - pushing ordinary workers into higher tax brackets without an actual salary increase. The result? South Africans are expected to pay an additional R18billion simply to bankroll government waste, failed policies, and corruption," he explained.

Build One South Africa leader Musi Maimane said his party rejected the idea of VAT increase, calling for a growth plan.

"I think South Africans are going to be double taxed, it's on VAT but also on personal TAX, you are asking teachers, nurses, lawyers all citizens to now pay more TAX.

"…we are obviously clear the fact that today there was no prioritisation of cutting expenditure so that you can fund growth. Funding growth is about increasing the infrastructure making sure it is efficient,"

He noted that as the committee that has received the Budget, the job now is to ensure that every line item reduce wasteful expenditure that is not serving the people of South Africa and ensure that all money that is allocate goes towards the people of this country.

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said that Members of Parliament (MPs) have the power to not only reject the budget, but to amend it.

"Members of Parliament, across party lines, must not only reject the tabled Budget but also empower the Standing Committee on Finance to ame...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Tuesday expressed its disapproval with any attempts to transition South Africa to electronic elections, calling on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to rather implement automatic voter registration for all citizens once they turn 18.

This, the party said can be achieved by integrating IEC systems with the Department of Home Affairs database, eliminating the "tedious and unnecessary" registration process, which it believes discourages voter turnout.

The IEC is undertaking public dialogue on electronic voting with a three-day conference, this week, in which IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo called on the commission to investigate new approaches to improve the electoral process, voter experience, accessibility and enable cost savings.

As part of its dialogue around electronic voting, the IEC has launched an Electronic Voting Policy Discussion Document, which explores the possibilities, challenges, and implications of implementing e-voting in South Africa.

It is urging citizens to read through the research contained in the document and to share any concerns or suggestions.

The document can be found here for download.

Meanwhile, the EFF had dismissed repeated attempts to digitise the voting process, calling it premature, with the argument that it will compromise the integrity, accessibility and reliability of South Africa's electoral system.

The EFF said electronic voting in South Africa will only deepen "inequality and disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly the poor and working class owing to the country's deep digital divide."

The EFF averred that South Africa did not have the necessary infrastructure to support a transition to electronic voting.

"…millions of citizens, especially in rural areas do not have access to digital devices such as smartphones, laptops or reliable Internet services. Less than 75% of the population has access to Internet services, with far less than that having access to the Internet from their homes, and South Africa having some of the highest mobile data costs in the world," it said.

The party highlighted that the failure of government to provide universal access to digital infrastructure meant that electronic voting would inevitably exclude the most vulnerable in society.

The EFF pointed to the IEC's technological failures, noting the 2024 elections which saw malfunctions of the Voter Management Devices (VMDs), which were intended to verify voter registration at polling stations.

"…these failures led to delays and undermined public confidence in the electoral process, while the website itself was unreliable and was often down when the whole country was relying on it for up-to-date results. If the IEC cannot guarantee the reliability of these basic verification systems and a website, there is no reason to trust them with a complete overhaul to an electronic voting system," the EFF stated.

The party also pointed to South Africa's electricity challenges, which it said posed a serious threat to the viability of electronic voting.

"With rolling blackouts and an unreliable power grid, it is simply reckless to consider an electoral system that is entirely dependent on electricity and digital connectivity. Without a stable and guaranteed power supply, electronic voting will open the door to massive voter suppression," it highlighted.

The EFF said instead of the IEC's "ill-conceived move," the IEC must focus on real and practical reforms that enhance electoral participation.

The party pointed out that voters must be allowed to vote anywhere in the country without requiring pre-approval.

It noted that the "failure" of the 2024 election system, which forced voters to apply in advance if they wished to vote outside their registered province, led to the disenfranchisement of thousands.

"The IEC must remove these barriers instead of introducing further complications through electronic voting," the EFF argued.