The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged South Africans to fight the ANC over the Value Added Tax (VAT) increase.
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba announced last week, during the 2018 National Budget Speech, that VAT has been increased by one percentage point – from 14% to 15%.
This has infuriated locals who have started a petition on Amandla.mobi to have parliament reject the VAT increase. The petition has garnered over 48 000 signatures. South Africans had until 12pm today to voice their concern.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane said that it is “one of the most anti-poor budgets we have ever seen”.
“Instead of cutting the fat and waste in government – unnecessary expenditure and bloated departments – and focusing on growth, the ANC chose to cut spending on services to poor people, including funding for housing, education, policing, and local and provincial government,” Maimane said this weekend.
“The ANC cannot steal public money and then expect us, the people, to pay for it. South Africans are law abiding. We pay our taxes faithfully, and we deserve better than this. We will not take this lying down.”
Maimane announced that the DA will launch a national petition to combat the VAT increase, and has called on South Africans to join the fight.
“Therefore we are here today to call on all South Africans to join the fight against increased taxes for the poor and working class. The DA will oppose and fight the VAT increase and the transport levy increases on all fronts. We will not support a regressive and anti-poor policy by the ANC, and will today be launching a national petition to say ‘no’ to VAT and transport levies.”
“I call on all South Africans to join this fight, and to add their voice in saying we will not accept things as is any longer.”
“The ANC government had a choice – and they still have a choice. Raising VAT and other taxes was not a necessity. Instead of raising VAT, they could have rather cut the fat in government.”
Picture: Facebook
