South Africa has entered unchartered waters following deep divisions in the coalition government over the national budget that has finally been tabled after a month-long delay. This is the view of analysts after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's budget drew a backlash from various quarters,

B udget announcements are rarely dramatic events in South Africa. But the statement on March 12th by Enoch Godongwana, the finance minister, could be the most consequential since the end of white rule in 1994.

The South African rand fell on Wednesday as disagreements in the ruling coalition persisted despite the finance minister scaling back the size of a contentious tax hike in a revised budget. The budget has been the biggest test so far of South Africa's fractious coalition politics,

South Africa's finance minister unveiled Wednesday a budget with a smaller increase in value-added tax than previously proposed, but it was immediately rejected by a key party in the unity government.