For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Godongwana says no change to fuel levies this year; DA loses court bid to have cadre deployment declared unlawful; And, Opposition parties welcome election date, express readiness to take on ANC

Godongwana says no change to fuel levies this year

Government has decided, once again, to leave the general fuel levy and Road Accident Levy Fund unchanged, resulting in tax relief of about R4-billion.

This was announced at the release of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s 2024 Budget today, marking the third consecutive year that this decision has been made, largely as a means of curbing inflation caused by sharply rising fuel prices, which have remained high, with diesel retail prices reaching R27/l in October 2023.

However, the Finance Minister said that the carbon fuel levy will increase to 11c/l for petrol and 14 c/l for diesel, effective from April 3.

To partially offset the foregone R4-billion in tax revenue from the unchanged fuel levy, Godongwana noted that specific excise duties on alcohol and tobacco products will increase.

DA loses court bid to have cadre deployment declared unlawful

The Democratic Alliance said it was disappointed in the judgment handed down in the Gauteng High Court dismissing its bid to have cadre deployment declared unconstitutional.

The party has instructed its legal team to appeal the ruling as a matter of urgency.

The High Court delivered its judgment on Wednesday in the DA’s long-standing battle to have the African National Congress’ policy of cadre deployment declared unconstitutional and unlawful, and dismissed the DA’s legal bid with costs.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said that while the party respected the judgment, it believed that a number of errors in law and interpretation had been made.

He said there was significant underestimation of the “scourge” of cadre deployment and its terrible effects on South Africans and the circumstances in which many of the country’s citizens found themselves.

He said the party will appeal it to the Supreme Court of Appeal and potentially direct it to the Constitutional Court.

And, Opposition parties welcome election date, express readiness to take on ANC

Political parties have welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement of the 2024 election date, expressing readiness for what is touted to be a crucial election.

Ramaphosa announced May 29th as the day for South Africans to head to the ballot box for the national and provincial elections, calling on all those eligible to exercise their democratic right to vote.

ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said his party welcomed the date, declaring its readiness to fix the country. The party invited Ramaphosa and Premiers to begin packing their offices and updating their CVs.

The Inkatha Freedom Party said it viewed May 29 as a day for the country to finally free itself from the clutches of an ANC government that had only delivered poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment and widespread corruption.

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen highlighted that the DA had meticulously prepared for this historic election, with support levels currently at their highest ever.

The Economic Freedom Fighters said this year’s elections marked an opportunity for all South Africans to put an end to the “misery” the country has suffered for 30 years under the “incompetent, corrupt and misguided governance of the ANC”.

The African Christian Democratic Party said it had been preparing for this day, assuring South Africans that the party was ready to set them free from an ANC government that the party said served its own narrow interests at the expense of citizens.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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