Economy

 

How you will pay for Zuma’s free education plan

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The government is considering drastic budget cuts to fund free higher education, including cutting social grants, freezing the roll-out of RDP houses and increasing taxes. With the country facing an unpre-cedented R50.8‑billion revenue hole, a treasury document has been put before President Jacob Zuma by the presidential fiscal committee, outlining possible areas where budgets could..
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SARS desperate – goes after taxpayer who owes R0.49

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SARS is getting desperate after suffering huge shortfalls, and is now auditing a large portion of taxpayers who need to receive refunds. This is according to the Rapport newspaper, which spoke to tax practitioners about changes at the revenue service. According to the newspaper, more salary earners are subjected to audits – while SARS takes..
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Saudi tensions could increase SA fuel prices

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The recent political upheaval in Saudi Arabia will lead to South African motorists paying an additional 70 to 80 cents more for fuel in December. And there could be a further increase of about 60 cents in January if current tensions persists, says Econometrix chief economist Azar Jammine. Oil, which has traded at about $50..
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The State Security Agency makes second attempt to gag Jacques Pauw’s book

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The State Security Agency has sent yet another cease and desist letter to get The Presidents Keepers withdrawn from bookshelves, but this time the letter was sent to its title editor Russel Martin. Authur and veteran journalist Jacques Pauw announced during the official launch of his book that the SSA’s cease and desist letter gave..
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Treasury letter – Sassa should not have disqualified Post Office

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A letter by National Treasury to acting South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) CEO Pearl Bhengu says the agency should not have disqualified the South African Post Office (SAPO) from three possible services in the social grants scheme. Treasury was given a week last Wednesday to review all the deal points of the then-collapsing deal..
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Sassa and Sapo agreement date pushed back yet again

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The striking of the elusive deal between the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and the South African Post Office (Sapo) has been pushed back yet again. MP’s at a joint meeting in Parliament on Tuesday heard that an offer to the Post Office to build an integrated IT payment system for a new “hybrid”..
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South Africa is held hostage to the toxic politics of the ANC

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If it showed anything, the recent medium-term budget policy statement has proven that South Africa does not have a government capable of dealing honestly and head on with the developmental crisis that the country finds itself in. It will not have such a government for some time, at least not until the 2019 general election..
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State capture fiasco shows why collaboration is key to tackling global crime networks

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Lord Peter Hain tabled a series of allegations in the UK’s House of Lords relating to the possible role of British banks in alleged money laundering and illicit financial transactions centred around President Jacob Zuma and the Gupta family. The Conversation Africa’s Charles Leonard asked him to explain why he took the step. Hain, who..
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Parastatal waste equals tax shortfall: Treasury will need to find new resources to close the budget gap

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The R50‑billion shortfall in tax revenue that the treasury will need to find elsewhere to plug the budget gap is close to how much state-owned entities (SOEs) have thrown down the drain in the past financial year. The auditor general, Kimi Makwetu, released national and provincial audit results on Wednesday. Although the number of clean..
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Full Junk Status For South Africa Is Inevitable

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While two of the three major rating agencies already have South Africa’s foreign debt ratings in sub-investment grade, finance minister Malusi Gigaba’s bleak budget speech this week practically makes ‘full’ junk for the country an inevitability. As the market and analysts digest the key takeaways from the budget speech, the overarching theme that has emerged..
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