South Africa's two biggest political parties, the African National Congress and the pro-business Democratic Alliance were yet to reach agreement to pass the budget on Tuesday, hours before a key parliamentary committee was set to debate it.

The Democratic Alliance, which joined the government after the long-ruling African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority last year, said it could not support a tax increase that would further burden the poor majority of the country's population. It said it would challenge the budget's adoption in court.

The pro-business DA rejects the budget leaving the ANC to rely on other parties to get it passed in parliament.