Booze and the budget always go together. It was certainly on Michael Hall’s mind. Minister Pravin Gordhan may increase VAT and other taxes today in his budget speech. Alcohol levy will most likely also go up! — Michael Hall (@iamMichaelHall) February 24, 2016async He was one of the social media users who got the finance minister trending on social media on Wednesday morning ahead of his presentation in the National Assembly in the afternoon.Killa ‏@killa_assessino took a more sober approach: “I hope that Pravin Gordhan will talk about increasing our GDP #Budget2016”.Filmmaker Yusuf Omar ‏@YusufOmarSA was probably a bit late in his call for tips: “Want to help Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan save our economy? Tweet cost-cutting ideas using #Budget2016”‚ while Werner Truter ‏@wernertruter felt it would be lost on the man who holds the purse strings anyway.“So much for cutting costs...Pravin Gordhan‚” he tweeted‚ referencing an SAfm news @SAfmnews post:The SABC says it will broadcast the post budget breakfast with Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan *tomorrow morning. — SAfm news (@SAfmnews) February 24, 2016async POWER987 News ‏@POWER987News tweeted a quote from a “Paarl resident”: “#Budget2016 I feel sorry for Minister Pravin Gordhan‚ has toughest job in the country.”SAfm news ‏@SAfmnews had weighed in with just how tough Godhan has it: “Finance minister‚ Pravin Gordhan will today deliver what is perceived as the most difficult budget since 1994.”TshepoTsala ‏@TshepoTsala probably summed it up best: “Pravin Gordhan doesnt wish to be himself today.”The thought of knowing that tax will increase is not nice but we have no say with regards to that. Dont increase VAT please Pravin, dont — TshepoTsala (@TshepoTsala) February 24, 2016async Nolan Wapenaar ‏@NolanWapenaar would be watching how the currency moved in response to the speech: “Rand starts at 15.25 today. Let's see how the market scores Pravin Gordhan's rabbit out a hat. #budget2016”.Pravin Gordhan do the right thing. Give South Africa a prospect of economic growth in #BUDGET2016 — Nolan Wapenaar (@NolanWapenaar) February 21, 2016async Casey Monteiro ‏@Casey_ek_se didn’t want the minister to start off the day on a empty tummy: “A massive day for team ‘avoid junk status’ - hope Pravin Gordhan ate all his Oats this morning. We're all 100% behind you for #Budget2016”‚ while Lonwabo Miso ‏@LonwaboMiso was more worried about his choice of morning music: “Wonder if Mr Pravin Gordhan will wake up singing All Eyes On Me by AKA this morning”?Melanie Webb ‏@MelanieWebbSA wryly brought up Gordhan’s predecessor‚ the hired then hastily fired Des van Rooyen:Whatever #PravinGordhan says today, let's just be grateful van Rooyen's not in that chair https://t.co/GP7odxsFec — Melanie Webb (@MelanieWebbSA) February 24, 2016async ..