ANA reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) appeared before Parliament’s standing and select committees on finance on Wednesday to make submissions on the 2018 fiscal framework and revenue proposals in the 2018 Budget.
Former finance minister Malusi Gigaba last week announced a one percentage point rise in VAT from 14% to 15%, plus an increase in the general fuel levy by 22 cents and in the Road Accident Fund levy by 30 cents. The union said all the proposed increases were coming at a time when working class families were still trying to cope with a 5% rise in tariffs by power utility Eskom, and that higher social grants also announced in the budget would do very little to offset the damage. It was said that the fuel levy and Road fund levy increases would affect not only those travelling by car or taxi, but also the cost structure of transport and logistical companies that deliver food, clothes, appliances and other goods. The union claimed that the governing party was pursuing “a diligent, effective and ruthless attack on working class families by promoting disastrous neoliberal capitalist policies”.
- Read this report in full at The Citizen
- Read too, Cabinet considering expanding zero-rated VAT basket, at eNCA
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