Budget 2023
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A tale of 2 speeches

HIS lips pursed in an almost-smile, Pravin Gordhan enters the National Assembly chamber in Cape Town at 1.55pm on Wednesday afternoon.

Almost a year ago, he would have carried the hefty documents required to deliver his medium-term budget speech, but now he can have one hand in his pocket as he makes his way to his seat among the ANC back benches.

On his way, he stops for a chat with two ANC MPs and to shake the hands of Connie September, Gugile Nkwinti and Juli Killian, among others.

Hot on his heels is new ANC MP Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who is also warmly greeted by Nkwinti and September.

Derek Hanekom enters and takes his seat in the row behind Gordhan.

When President Jacob Zuma enters the house, Gordhan is on his phone.

While two of the frontrunners in the ANC’s leadership race – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Dlamini-Zuma – are having a hearty chat, with Ramaphosa leaning back in laughter, Gordhan looks on smiling.

His successor as finance minister, Malusi Gigaba, enters the chamber without much fanfare while Zuma is now in animated conversation with Ramaphosa.

When Gordhan approached the podium in October last year to deliver what turned out to be his last Medium-term Budget Policy Statement, the opposition benches rose.


While Gigaba makes his way to the podium, only one opposition MP rises: the EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. While it took about an hour and 27 minutes for the first and only point of order to be raised during Gordhan’s budget speech in February, Gigaba can’t even reach the podium before the first in a string of points of order is raised.

Ndlozi says Gigaba can’t be allowed to address Parliament. Zuma’s face turns bleak and Gigaba takes a seat next to the president.

A to-and-fro between EFF MPs and Speaker Baleka Mbete ensues.

When one of the EFF MPs drops a jibe comparing Gigaba to Zuma’s Gupta-linked son Duduzane, Zuma smilingly leans over to Gigaba.

If the EFF’s put-downs ruffle Gigaba’s characteristically finely appointed feathers, he doesn’t show it. His face remains expressionless while EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu refers to him as a “Gupta boy”.

“South Africa is in crisis because of Mr Gigaba!” Shivambu says. Gigaba looks down, Zuma’s face sours even further, Ramaphosa opens his tablet.

Gigaba listens to the rest of the EFF’s heated exchanges with his head askew, and smiles when they finally decide to leave the chamber by their own volition, rather than being dragged out kicking and screaming by the so-called parliamentary bouncers.

At 2.19pm he can finally set himself behind the podium. As Gigaba starts to speak, the House settles down. Gordhan is looking at his cellphone, Zuma purses his lips and settles in on his bench.

As Gigaba quotes Nigerian writer Ben Okri, Gordhan looks up.

Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe has his eyes on a tablet, Ramaphosa stares at Gigaba and Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu is writing a note by hand.

Unlike Gordhan, Gigaba doesn’t really stop his speech to jokingly appeal for more applause or address ministers or opposition MPs directly when he touches on a topic of interest to him.

While the atmosphere in the house is distinctly different to a Gordhan speech, some things remain the same. There are teleprompters behind potted plants, one each side of the podium, like there were for Gordhan and former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene.

Also, the presidential eyelids seem to get heavy, as they did last October during Gordhan’s address.

Zuma sits in his bench, slumped towards his right, his chin close to his chest, eyes closed. Suddenly, his head jerks upwards, and he nods a few times. This repeats a few times through Gigaba’s speech. Sometimes Zuma joins in the smidgens of applause for Gigaba that sputter from the ANC benches every once in a while.

After another one of these incidents, Zuma nods a few times, pulls himself more upright and pours a glass of water. After a few sips, he rummages in his pockets before pulling out a roll of sweets. He offers one to Ramaphosa, who accepts with a grin.

As Gigaba winds down, he thanks Zuma, whose head shoots up, his brow furrowed in surprise, eyes wide. Gigaba also thanks Ramaphosa, who nods and smiles.

Then Gigaba thanks his predecessors as minister of finance, singling out Gordhan and Trevor Manuel, the latter sitting and smiling in the public gallery. When Gigaba mentions Gordhan’s name, Gordhan offers a gesture resembling a salute and a smile in Gigaba’s direction.

Gigaba doesn’t mention Des van Rooyen.

Gerber is a parliamentary reporter for City Press’ sister publication, News24.

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