Parliament turned chaotic on Tuesday as political parties disrupted proceedings, causing delays and some MPs being chased out during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s question-and-answer session.
The disruption, marked by shouting and objection, delayed responses and raised tensions in what was supposed to be a structured discussion on South Africa’s most pressing challenges.
High cost of living
Despite the interruption, Ramaphosa eventually addressed questions concerning the high cost of living and the government’s plans for economic recovery and job creation.
Responding to a question from Democratic Alliance’s George Michalakis, Ramaphosa acknowledged the severe impact of the rising cost of food and basic necessities on South African household.
He said tackling poverty and the cost of living remains one of the three main priorities of the government of national unity (GNU), forming a key part of the Medium Term Development Plan.
“South Africa’s macroeconomic policy framework has been a key lever for shielding the impoverished from the high cost of living. The framework includes an inflation target, which has helped to keep prices low and stable. And it has been important in reducing average prices.
“Food price inflation has fallen quite significantly from 12.7% at the end of 2022 to 2.2% in March 2025. Headline inflation, which is a measure of the general cost of living, has also declined. It averages 4.4% in 2024, and inflation has even moderated further to 2.7% in March 2025,” said Ramaphosa.
VAT-exempt food items
He said many basic food items remain exempt from VAT to protect low-income families. These include such as maize meal, brown bread, rice, milk, and eggs.
He added that government’s fiscal policy has been redistributive. This with nearly 60% of national revenue spent on social grants, education, and healthcare.
Ramaphosa highlighted the recent budget announcement, which increased social grants above inflation rate. He also noted the provision of free basic services such as water and electricity to over 11 million households as a key method of easing financial pressure on the impoverished.
In addition to financial support, the president mentioned the work of more than 3,000 food support centres run by the Department of Social Development. These centres offer daily meals and a range of welfare services to the impoverished and vulnerable.
He also spoke of longer-term structural reforms. These include changes to housing policy and transport systems, aimed at bringing people closer to jobs and making commuting more affordable.
GNU questioned
Cornelius Mulder of the Freedom Front Plus had also essentially asked what new economic policies the president and cabinet have developed since the formation of the GNU to achieve the goals of inclusive economic growth, increased investment, industrialisation, and job creation, as outlined in the GNU’s priorities.
In response, Ramaphosa outlined the economic plans of the seventh administration. He said the Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) lays the foundation for inclusive economic growth and job creation.
He described the macroeconomic environment as stable and attractive for long-term investment.
R1-trillion infrastructure investment
Ramaphosa said a massive investment of R1-trillion has been set aside over the next three years. This is for public infrastructure, which includes roads, rail and water systems.
“Public spending on infrastructure will be complemented by reforms to the regulatory framework to enable public-private partnerships. This includes streamlining infrastructure financing and project preparation mechanisms. A further pillar of our economic strategy is to support sectors with high potential for growth and job creation.
“This includes growing our key export sectors like mining and agriculture. All the while developing new industries such as renewable energy, electric vehicles. Also green hydrogen and harnessing our unique advantages in the green economy.
“We are strengthening the capacity of the state, which is a key pillar of the MTDP. This includes turning around the financial and operational performance of SOEs. Also improving delivery at the local government level,” said Ramaphosa.
