Bosa's bold plan to stop VAT hike!

BUILD ONE South Africa (Bosa) has unveiled a broad economic proposal aimed at stopping a Value-Added Tax (VAT) increase and delivering a "credible, inclusive, and growth-oriented" national budget.

This announcement was made by Bosa leader and member of Parliament (MP) Mmusi Maimane and his deputy, MP Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster during a media briefing held at Parliament, Cape Town on Tuesday, 8 April.

The briefing comes ahead of a key meeting to be held on Tuesday night, called by the African National Congress (ANC) with political parties that supported the passing of the budget last Wednesday.

The meeting aims to consider submissions to address Mzansi's economic shortfall and explore alternatives to a VAT hike.

Maimane said: "Let us be absolutely clear. The current budget impasse is not just about a 0,5%-point VAT increase as some would have you believe."

"It is but a symptom of a much deeper crisis: a government in paralysis, heightened corruption, and the absence of a credible economic plan."

Maimane further repeated Bosa's commitment to stopping the VAT increase, stressing that their earlier support of the fiscal framework came with non-negotiable conditions.

"If the proposed VAT increase is not reversed, then our support for the budget will be withdrawn. This was not a blank cheque. This was a responsible, conditional decision," he said.

He highlighted their core conditions which included the reversal of the VAT increase and income tax bracket creep, a full review of government spending and the adoption of a national Growth Charter to boost jobs and investment.

Maimane criticised both the government and opposition parties for what he called irresponsible behaviour.

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"Some parties opposed the budget for the sake of opposition. Others supported it but threw their toys out of the cot when they didn't get control of ports or new cabinet positions. That's not how we work. Bosa is here to build."

He also dismissed claims that domestic budget uncertainty caused the rand's decline.

"That is not just disingenuous, it's false. The primary driver is global volatility, this is what analysts are calling a 'Trump Slump'. Trying to localise this for political gain is misleading and frankly, unpatriotic," he said.

Maimane outlined Bosa's proposed interventions, identifying over R180 billion in savings and new revenue, which included, raising the six taxes on online gambling, freezing on government middle/senior management hiring and downsizing cabinet and eliminating deputy minister posts.

"South Africa doesn't have a tax problem. It has a governance problem. We will not allow struggling South Africans to pay the price for elite mismanagement by the GNU," he said.

He emphasised that this is not a time for political theatrics. "It is a time for bold ideas and responsible leadership. Let us move forward together and build one South Africa that works for everyone," he said.