ANC's Ntuli says party has not reached consensus with DA over budget speech

JOHANNESBURG – African National Congress (ANC) parliamentary chief whip, Mdumiseni Ntuli, has confirmed that the party has not reached an agreement with the Democratic Alliance (DA) on the national budget.

Negotiations with some parties within the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the opposition are still ongoing as the finance committee works to adopt a report.

On Wednesday, Parliament is expected to vote on the budget as tabled by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in March. 

DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party would oppose the budget unless a written agreement had been reached.

Ntuli said the ANC would not succumb to the DA's demands.

"And when we met yesterday [Monday], we painstakingly went through all the issues they raised and we said to them unless they are willing to move away from some of the demands, which have nothing to do with the budget - expropriation, NHI, do away with NYDA, if you don’t move away from those demands, then there’s no way we’re gonna have consensus with you."

However, the DA's Karabo Khakhau told the Clement Manyathela Show on Tuesday morning that some within the ANC were willing to meet their biggest GNU partner halfway.

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