The trade union federation told journalists at a media briefing on Thursday following its three-day meeting that the ongoing public sector wage dispute is a binding contract that cannot simply be wished away.
During his 2021 Budget speech on Wednesday, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni announced that drinkers and smokers will be paying 8% more.
Cosatu has criticised what it called Treasury’s failure to speed up economic development in order to create jobs, focus on supporting rural and township economies, and access to services.
Commissioner Kieswetter said that despite there not being substantive tax hikes, there was still wiggle room to improve the efficiency of collection.
National Treasury Director-General Dondo Mogajane said that the economy had to grow and freezing public servants' wages was not enough.
The increase in excise duties on cigarettes and alcohol was fairly predictable, with Minister Tito Mboweni explaining their decision as one not only motivated by raising, but also in the interest of health.
Treasury has stressed the importance of a smooth vaccine roll-out, with no stops and starts to break the cycle of a surge in infections and lockdowns to curb them.
The Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Geordin Hill-Lewis said that it was concerning that Mboweni did not mention what would happen to state-owned entities such as South African Airways (SAA).
While South African Airways (SAA) will this year get R4.3 billion and Eskom more than R31 billion, this was money that was allocated in previous budgets and cannot be classified as new bailouts.
He was speaking at a briefing after delivering his Budget speech on Wednesday afternoon.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivered his much-anticipated hybrid Budget Speech on 24 February 2021, during which he outlined how citizens would be paying more for certain items.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivered his much-anticipated hybrid Budget speech on 24 February 2021 in Parliament where he assured South Africans that there would be no tax increases.
Culture and learning remain the largest spending area at R402.9 billion with the bulk of that allocation earmarked for salaries.
While we will have the highest tax shortfall ever on record - mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic - government has a few plans to ensure it acquires as much income as possible.
Tito Mboweni delivered his Budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday.
Almost one year after the first coronavirus case was recorded in South Africa, followed by a hard lockdown which destabilised the economy, Minister Tito Mboweni delivers the 2021 Budget Speech.
Once again this year, you’ll be paying more for your sins.
This as many services, mainly at grassroots, suffer the consequences of allocation reductions in human settlements, health and transport among others.
