Parliament Shoots Down MK Party’s Attempt to Censure Finance Minister Godongwana

In a move that was more symbolic than seismic, the MK Party’s effort to censure Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has fallen flat in Parliament. On Tuesday, the National Assembly decisively rejected the party’s motion, exposing both the fragility of new opposition parties and the entrenched alliances across South Africa’s political spectrum.

The vote wasn’t close. Out of 400 possible seats, only 48 MPs most from the MK Party supported the motion. The rest, including major players like the ANC, DA, EFF, IFP, and others, roundly dismissed it.

What Sparked the Motion?

At the heart of the issue was an accusation from the MK Party, formerly fronted in Parliament by Mzwanele Manyi, that Godongwana had “mishandled” the national Budget process. They pointed to the unusual postponement of the Budget tabling earlier this year, as well as a controversial VAT increase that sparked public backlash.

To the MK Party, these were more than political hiccups. They framed them as constitutional failures—alleging that public participation was sidelined, accountability ignored, and sound financial principles compromised.

But the party’s argument didn’t gain much traction beyond its own benches.

Inside the Vote

When voting began on Tuesday, MK Party’s new chief whip, Colleen Makhubele, called for a formal division of the House—a move that temporarily stalled proceedings and raised some procedural eyebrows. DA chief whip George Michalakis questioned whether a party backing its own motion could trigger a division.

House Chair Werner Horn confirmed the move was above board, noting that at least four MPs had requested the division—well within the rules.

When the tally came in, it confirmed what many political observers expected: the motion was going nowhere. Only MK’s 46 MPs and one each from the African Transformation Movement (ATM) and United African Transformation (UAT) voted in favour. A staggering 250 MPs from across the political spectrum voted against.

A Moment of Isolation for MK Party

For a party that’s positioned itself as a rising force, the failed motion was a sharp reminder of the limits of rhetoric in a numbers-driven Parliament. Even the EFF, often aligned with radical or populist criticism of the ANC, did not lend support. The absence of parties like the Good Party, BOSA, Al Jama-ah, and the PAC from the vote left little chance of a surprise outcome.

Political analyst Sihle Mahaye noted on social media, “The MK Party is discovering the hard way that being loud outside Parliament doesn’t automatically translate to power inside it.”

A Budget Under Fire, But Minister Survives

Finance Minister Godongwana has faced his share of criticism this year, particularly over the VAT hike which many believe hits the poor the hardest. Yet despite the outcry and the MK Party’s attempt to leverage it into a formal censure, he walks away politically unscathed for now.

The ANC, while diminished in stature since the last election, still wields enough influence with coalition partners and long-time rivals to shield its Cabinet members from one-off opposition challenges.

What Comes Next?

The vote’s outcome might seem like a mere procedural note in the bigger picture, but it raises broader questions: Can the MK Party evolve from a protest movement into a strategic legislative force? Will the issues it raised public accountability, fiscal transparency, and social justice resurface in a more united push from opposition parties?

For now, it’s clear that the party is on the back foot in Parliament. But with a restless public, rising costs of living, and growing pressure on Treasury, the next Budget battle may not be so easily brushed aside.

As one Cape Town resident put it in a WhatsApp community group: “The MK Party might’ve lost this round, but at least someone’s asking the hard questions.”

Public frustration with economic policy is rising, but Parliament is still a numbers game, and the MK Party is playing it short-handed.