# The Congress of the People says government’s decision to increase value-added tax by 0.5-percent, cements the ANC’s abandonment of South Africans who are struggling. Finance minister Enoch Godongwana says the proposed VAT increases are set to generate 13.5-billion-rand in revenue in 2025/2026 and 30-billion-rand in 2026/2027. COPE says the budget protects the wealthy elite while slashing hope for the poor, worsening inequality and deepening the trust deficit between citizens and government.
BUDGET: COPE says the budget is nothing short of an assault on the poor