BDLive reports that the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) on Wednesday opposed suggestions that value-added tax (VAT) be increased, saying it would burden the poor.  

Fedusa general secretary Dennis George said raising VAT would not solve the government’s budget shortfall challenges but that "cutting wasteful expenditure" and prioritising and spending taxpayers’ money more wisely would help.  The federation was reacting to a proposal by Old Mutual Investment Group chief economist Rian le Roux that the government should raise VAT in its February budget next year to meaningfully reduce its large budget deficit.

• Read this report by Ntsakisi Maswanganyi in full at BDLive

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