There are many reasons why Wednesday's budget will be a very tough one with many different taxes raised, There are the usual frequently mentioned reasons and two big ones that seem to have been overlooked by most budget soothsayers. The obvious reasons include the underperformance by SARS, government overspending, the huge cost of the bloated …
Category: The present
Next week’s budget – between a rock and a hard place
When it comes to the budget next week, newly elected President Cyril Ramaphosa, and his promise of renewal, finds himself between a rock and a hard place. The government needs a budget to be passed timeously. But the budget before parliament will essentially be a Zuma Corruption budget. How can he or the ANC defend or …
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King Zuma’s reign ends
I had expected to feel excitement and even elation. But by the time King Zuma finally announced the end of his reign, I felt no excitement, only sadness and relief. It reminded me of Richard Nixon's resignation many decades ago. Sadness at the decade that Zuma had stolen from South Africa and her people. Sadness …
Another R20 Billion to Eskom? The answer should be hell no!
The new Eskom team is reported to be begging local banks to lend it another R20 billion to help it keep going. If I was a bank I would say “hell no, not until you publish your interim financial results, show me a believable survival plan, and get the new board members to personally underwrite the …
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Thoughts and Memories - Peter Mansfield 