A member of parliament for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has strongly criticized Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi, accusing him of spreading false claims about the EFF’s position on the controversial value-added tax (VAT) increase.
In a sharp statement, the EFF MP said: *”Songezo Zibi is a pitiful liar. The EFF proposed concrete amendments in the Standing Committee on Finance to generate revenue without raising VAT. Meanwhile, it was ActionSA, BOSA, and Rise Mzansi who endorsed an illegal fiscal framework while falsely promising alternative solutions within 30 days.”*
The heated exchange comes amid rising tensions in Parliament over the government’s financial plans. The EFF has been a vocal opponent of the VAT hike, arguing that it disproportionately harms the working class and the poor. The party claims it presented alternative revenue-generation proposals in committee discussions but was ignored.
Instead, the EFF alleges that smaller opposition parties—including Herman Mashaba’s ActionSA, Mmusi Maimane’s Build One South Africa (BOSA), and Zibi’s Rise Mzansi—backed the ruling party’s framework despite earlier pledges to push for different solutions.
Songezo Zibi is a pathetic liar – because the EFF made proposed amendments in the Standing Committee on Finance for revenue generation mechanisms to substitute the VAT increases. It was Action SA, BOSA and Rise Mzansi of Songezo Zibi who supported an illegal fiscal framework… https://t.co/yl4tmZEO4z
— Sinawo Thambo (@Sinawo_Thambo) April 27, 2025
Zibi, a former newspaper editor turned politician, has positioned Rise Mzansi as a fresh political force advocating transparency and good governance. However, the EFF accuses him of misleading the public by suggesting the party offered no alternatives to the VAT increase.
The EFF MP further argued that Zibi and others effectively approved a fiscal framework now under scrutiny for its legality and fairness. *”They promised alternatives within a month, but that time has passed, and we are still waiting,”* the MP said.
At the time of reporting, Zibi and Rise Mzansi had not publicly responded to the EFF’s accusations.
The clash highlights growing divisions among opposition parties as South Africa’s Parliament grapples with contentious fiscal policies ahead of the 2026 local government elections. The dispute also underscores the challenges of coalition politics, where ideological differences and competing strategies often lead to public confrontations.