GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General
10 April 2025
Yesterday evening, the GOOD Party engaged in a constructive dialogue with the African National Congress in Johannesburg regarding the current budget impasse. We believe the ANC is acting in good faith and is genuinely committed to finding alternative sources of revenue to avoid the proposed 0.5% VAT increase and the impact of personal income tax bracket creep.
GOOD supported the fiscal framework—with the Finance Committee’s recommendations—because it averted a severe austerity budget. Crucially, the budget retained funding for essential services, including social security (such as the extension of the SRD Grant), education, and health. It also retained critical investment in upgrading our rail system.
We remain convinced that there are viable revenue sources available to avoid raising VAT or increasing the tax burden on personal income and we discussed these options with the ANC delegation.
The budget impasse has created the opportunity for a fractious and hastily constituted Government of National Unity to evolve into a more stable and coherent Government of Common Purpose.
GOOD proposed an end to exclusive bilateral discussions and agreements between the ANC and the Democratic Alliance.
The GNU comprises ten political parties that signed the Statement of Intent. All parties must be respected as equal stakeholders in government processes.
The signatories to the GNU agreement committed to convening a Lekgotla to co-develop a shared policy agenda. This has not yet occurred. While the extended Cabinet held a Lekgotla and produced a Medium-Term Development Plan last year, we must clarify that the Cabinet is the executive structure of the GNU, not the GNU itself.
As we collectively seek to advance the interests of all South Africans, the principles of inclusion, transparency, and multilateralism must guide our efforts.
Media enquiries: media@forgood.org.za