2 June 2021 - As predicted, the five-month prohibition on legal tobacco sales was a boon for the illicit industry. They have kept many of their new-found customers, judging by the complaints of legal retailers.
Has the eThekwini Municipality taken ratepayers for a ride with its multimillion-rand taxi incentive project?
That’s the question councillors and commuters are asking about Durban’s voluntary programme that was touted to improve the city’s taxi industry.
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Sin Taxes – a soft target that does more harm than good - Biznews
23 February 2021 - The argument for sin taxes is frequently made. Arguments against sin taxes, however, are rarely discussed, and never feature in the National Treasury’s budget speeches.
At first glance sin taxes make sense… The taxed items aren’t essentials and increasing the price of unhealthy substances should reduce their appeal. Ivo Vegter from the Daily Friend delves a little deeper into the most popular indulgences around the world and finds that, in South Africa, sin taxes might not be that simple. During one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, the country was a revealing test case for what happens when cigarettes and alcohol are banned outright. A black market emerged almost over night, drawing ordinarily law-abiding citizens into business with organised crime syndicates. While government ‘fiddles at the margins’, these taxes have a substantial effect on employment, industry and the economy