EFF to oppose any tax hikes targeting ordinary people

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has firmly pledged to oppose any tax hikes targeting the ordinary citizens and low-income earners.

There are growing calls urging Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to avoid increasing Value Added Tax (VAT) in his 2025 Budget Speech.

EEF Treasurer-General Omphile Maotwe says 15% VAT has put many households on the brink of hunger and needs to be cut.

“It will be very disappointing for the Minister to even start by thinking of increasing the tax for people because remember, when VAT for an example was increased from 14% to 15%, they said it was a temporary measure to try to resolve the issue of COVID-19. But what was surprising by then is that he cut corporate income tax. So how do you increase Value Added Tax and then cut corporate income tax?

“You’re actually saying, the people who’ve been making more money must continue to make more money, and the poorest of the poor must continue to be poor. So we reject anything that suggests that our people must be taxed more. Corporate income tax must be increased. VAT must be reduced back to 14% because it was a temporary measure,” says Maotwe.