In a meeting with the African National Congress (ANC) on Friday, Government of National Unity (GNU) partner RISE Mzansi expressed its commitment to the coalition government but advised that the rules of engagement between GNU parties needed to be strengthened.

The ANC is meeting with parties in and out of the GNU amid tensions in the new government, following the passing of the Budget in March, which will result in a VAT hike from May 1.

The ANC has so far met with ActionSA, which is not a member of the GNU, and the Inkatha Freedom Party, which is, and is also expected to meet with GNU member the Democratic Alliance (DA) this weekend.

The RISE Mzansi delegation that met with the ANC included national chairperson Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, chief organiser Makashule Gana, and head of policy Mandla Isaacs.

The party stressed its support for the recently adopted Fiscal Framework, admitting that while it was not “desirable”, it was the “best possible outcome”.

It blamed the situation on 15 years of corruption, ineffectual leadership and poor decision-making.

“These politically engineered crises must be addressed in a concerted and deliberate manner, as the goodwill of South Africans has been depleted, and a Budget of this nature for 2026/27 will not be tolerated by the people. Our reading of the response by South Africans is that it is not entirely about more money leaving their pockets, but rather it is about a government and its leadership that cannot guarantee that this money will be properly spent,” the party warned.

However, it did note positives in the Budget, which it rallied behind, such as R19.2-billion over the medium term to upgrade signalling infrastructure at Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, R9.3-billion for the employment of unemployed doctors, R156.3-billion for water and sanitation infrastructure, R2.4-billion allocated to the turnaround of services in metros, R500-million for the South African Revenue Services, and R11-billion allocated to reducing the public wage.

“It is worth noting that within the Fiscal Framework, there are R3.6-billion in measures to offset the VAT [increase]: R2-billion in the expansion of the basket of VAT-exempt goods, and R1.6-billion in above-inflation increases for social grants,” it said, and committed to a spending review.

Meanwhile, RISE Mzansi urged respect from GNU parties in their engagements with each other and to unite under the banner of government rather than competing political parties.

It further warned against a “dangerous and narrow narrative” that suggested that the DA was the only party in the GNU that was capable of effecting economic growth and ending corruption.

“RISE Mzansi remains committed to the GNU, but notes that the rules of engagement need to be strengthened, codified and agreed to by all signatories to the Statement of Intent (SoI). All GNU partners, especially those in the executive need to sing from the same hymn sheet on executive matters. The petty insults, contradictions and media leaks are not helpful, and do not show the kind of leadership that South Africans seek,” it said.

It urged compromise and debate under a “new normal” for the benefit of South Africa.

Ex-DA leader Tony Leon, commenting in the media on the interactions between the GNU partners, said he believed that it was not the DA's demands in the negotiations about passing the Budget, leading to the current standoff with the ANC, that were questionable, but rather that the ANC had outright betrayed the SoI, querying instead where this left the GNU.

“…regardless of how the vote went on the Fiscal Framework, the VAT increase was going to kick in on 1 May 2025, our work now is to find the funds that will enable Parliament and the Finance Minister to scrap [the VAT increase],” RISE Mzansi said.