National Assembly passes Division of Revenue Bill

CAPE TOWN - The National Assembly (NA) has on Thursday crossed another budget bridge by passing the Division of Revenue Bill that apportions money to the three spheres of government.

This is despite new tensions between the government’s two largest coalition partners over the axing of Democratic Alliance (DA) member of Parliament (MP) Andrew Whitfield as deputy Trade, Industry and Competition Minister.

The two main opposition parties, the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF), rejected the budget; however, DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party wouldn’t reject this money bill over the latest impasse.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the bill is intended to address the country’s most urgent needs.

"It is easy to use a slogan called austerity. Even when there’s no austerity, and the budget is trying to address the basic population needs like education and health, which this budget does. But you all fight here in these meetings when I’ve got a budget. I was worried, John [Steenhuisen], I said, 'Oh, my budget again, is in trouble'.”

The bill will now be sent to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for concurrence.