Budget speech: The hot mic strikes again

Updated Feb. 20, 2025, 5:38 a.m. | By East Coast Breakfast / Skyye Ndlovu

A hot mic moment between Enoch Godongwana and his officials has South Africa in tears (both laughter and confusion).

In a plot twist worthy of a political thriller (or a really awkward sitcom), South Africa’s highly anticipated 2025 budget speech was cancelled at the 11th hour due to disagreements over key terms – most notably, the controversial 2% VAT increase.

Instead of the usual grand financial address, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana took to the podium for a press conference.

But, as fate (and technology) would have it, the real show began after the official speech.

Unbeknown to the minister and his colleagues (Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and National Treasury Director-General Duncan Pieterse), the mics were still on – because nothing spices up a budget debate like an unscripted hot-mic moment.

“I’m glad you took the question about the commissioner, you answered it much better than I would have,” remarked DG Duncan Pieterse, casually throwing the first log onto this rapidly spreading fire.

Godongwana, clearly frustrated, responded: “Oh no, I was a bit worried. He [SARS commissioner] is making me angry, even here he comes up with this rubbish… how would it help me on the 19th? Even now on the 12th, he did not know that we’ve made provision for 3.5 in the new arrangement. But that 3.5 now is gone.”

In an even juicier twist, Khumbudzo can be heard asking (in Zulu), “When is he leaving?” – a remark that highlights the instability within the GNU and brings to mind that one colleague we all can’t stand.

VIDEO: They said this unaware that the microphones were still on and beaming them live. pic.twitter.com/sTfK9vipgY
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) February 19, 2025

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Translation? Somewhere, somehow, someone’s financial plans just went up in smoke.

Whether the missing 3.5 is billions, percentages, or just the finance minister’s patience, one thing’s for sure: next year, they might want to double-check those microphones before spilling the real tea.