The Democratic Alliance (DA) has reiterated its call for a leaner cabinet. This is among the demands in the party’s memorandum delivered to the National Treasury during the VAT increase protest march in Pretoria earlier on Tuesday.
Hundreds of DA members and supporters joined the march. DA leader Mmusi Maimane has also called on government to reduce the number of foreign missions saying some of them do not serve any purpose.
Maimane says his party has proposed that the government should pull out of what he calls the costly membership of the BRICS New Development Bank.
“Tell President Ramaphosa, gone are the days of blue light and security for everybody permanent. We don’t want fat cats running our country. We are saying there are foreign missions all over the world. Let us reduce them by 69 because we don’t need an embassy in every country. We want money. We want to make sure provincial legislatures are run well because they want money. We are asking that we must pull out of the New Development Bank, it is going to cost us R17.2 billion.”
Maimane has commended the National Treasury for what he calls its ability to resist the so-called state capture.
“I’m not here to fight with Treasury. You are a department that has fought even when the forces of capturing came. I became nervous when I saw your former finance minister because I knew that project was going to continue; but today we are here to simply say the decision to increase VAT is going to affect poor ordinary South Africans. We are saying lets sell our shares in Telkom that is R7 billion. Let us privatise or part privatise some of the 23 public enterprises which will help us. Let’s make sure in South Africa we can say it is a happy day for poor people.”
South Africans came out in their numbers today to reject the proposed VAT increase!
We cannot make those who can barely afford the basics, pay even more! #NoVATincrease pic.twitter.com/C1zjxRkrHC
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) March 6, 2018
"Minister Nene, you’ll never have a better chance to make an impression than with your first big decision in cabinet.
You know the facts around this budget and the VAT hike, and you know what you can do to fix it." – @MmusiMaimane #NoVATincrease
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) March 6, 2018
DA Leader @MmusiMaimane handing over the memorandum to @TreasuryRSA.
Government does not need to increase VAT.
Cut spending and stop corruption! #NoVATincrease pic.twitter.com/8lWLt6PMcD
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) March 6, 2018
