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Malusi Giggleba: Light-hearted moments during a heavy budget speech

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 Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba Picture: Jaco Marais.
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba Picture: Jaco Marais.

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba delivered a heavy budget speech on Wednesday in which he announced a rise in value added tax, from 14% to 15%.

But even when faced with unanimous unpopularity Gigaba was not deterred from taking swipes at the opposition, sharing light-hearted moments with members of Parliament as well as making a hilarious reference to American rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar.

Gigaba was confronted by a hostile audience made up of opposition parties who, led by Democratic Alliance chief whip John Steenhuisen, attempted to curtail proceedings of his maiden budget speech as they requested that National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete not allow him to proceed.

Much of the animosity towards him was the result of a judgment issued by the North Gauteng High Court in December, in which Judge Neil Tuchten ruled that Gigaba was found to have “deliberately told untruths under oath”.

This seemed not to deter Gigaba who, from the onset attempted to disarm his audience with an unexpected reference to American rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar’s song.

Regardless of what any detractors might say, he said, “we gonn’ be alright” as a nation – a sentiment that was met with a resounding round of applause from ruling party members of Parliament.

Clearly Gigaba has been taking notes from newly appointed President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose recent state of the nation address quoted the late jazz legend Hugh Masekela’s Thuma Mina song lyrics.

The finance minister did not let up. He jokingly explained the different rates at which various brews of alcohol where going to be affected by the value added tax increment.

He then turned to IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi and reassured him in isiZulu that he need not worry because “traditional beer was exempt from any such increments”.

While addressing the water crisis in Cape Town Gigaba – who up until this moment had been subjected to jeers and slander from opposition parties – seized the opportunity to take a mock the DA. “Don’t fire Patricia de Lille… she got one over you though,” said Gigaba in isiZulu.

Referring to an incident in which he was caught on camera playing Candy Crush while President Ramaphosa delivered his state of the nation address, Gigaba thanked an Instagram follower for volunteering to go to Candy Crush rehab with him.

Gigaba then pointed to the opposition who were jeering again and said: “At least I am better than some people – they need more serious help.”

Despite his bravado, Gigaba had moments where the opposition’s disruptions and jeers caught him and he stopped for a while as he seemed distracted,and had to compose himself before continuing.

The loudest boos and jeers came when Gigaba thanked former president Jacob Zuma for his assistance.

The opposition members shouted “you should also resign” and “you are a hypocrite”.

Now the country waits to see if the much-anticipated Cabinet reshuffle will take place and, if it does, if Gigaba – who has been accused of being complicit to state capture in his various ministerial roles – will still be there to share more light-hearted moments in Parliament.

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