# The MK Party is calling for a national shutdown in protest of the government’s recent VAT hike. The party condemns the 0.5-percent hike, calling it an attack on the black poor, working-class, and small businesses already struggling with high food prices, unemployment, and rising electricity costs. MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela criticised president Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration for ignoring alternatives like strengthening the South African Revenue Service and implementing a wealth tax.
MK Party calls for national shutdown against VAT hike