BUDGET: SA Canegrowers welcomes no increase in sugar tax
"Introduced in 2018, the sugar tax cost 16 000 jobs and R2 billion in revenue in the first year of implementation alone, according to independent research by Nedlac. Any increase would risk the livelihoods of growers and increase unemployment in many parts KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga, where there are few other job opportunities," SA Canegrowers said.
" The sugar tax has been nothing but destructive for South Africa. While the Nedlac study demonstrated concrete proof of job losses, no evidence has been provided to show the tax has reduced obesity or improved the health of South Africans in any way," it further stated.
The association said it believes that Treasury should scrap the tax, to help ensure that government drives job creation and economic growth, as per its commitments outlined in the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan 2030.
"This social compact between industry and government to revitalise the industry also has the potential to create new markets for sugarcane growers and kickstart new industrialisation projects in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal," Canegrowers said in a statement.
"Agricultural jobs are critically important to the stability of South Africa and to making sure that we reduce rural poverty and hunger. SA Canegrowers will continue to strive for an end to this job-killing tax, calling on the government to prioritise desperately needed economic growth and jobs instead," it further said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
38 minutes ago
- Eyewitness News
Transnet will receive R94.8 billion from Transport Department over next 5 years to help manage mounting debt
JOHANNESBURG - Transnet will receive R94.8 billion in financial support from the Transport Department over the next five years to help manage its mounting debt. The Department said the additional guarantees will cushion the impact of recent credit rating downgrades, to mitigate risks and ensure Transnet can meet its debt obligations. This latest support follows a R51 billion guarantee approved earlier this year by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Department spokesperson Collen Msibi said the new allocation will help stabilise the entity's financial position. 'On the 12th of June 2025, the Minister of Transport, Ms. Barbara Creecy, announced government has initiated a process to allocate additional guarantees to Transnet. As a result, government has, on 25 July 2025, approved an additional R48.6 billion guarantee for Transnet to ensure that all debt redemptions will be covered over the next five years. '
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Count Me in Movement calls for reform of spaza shop regulations to support local businesses
The Count Me In Movement has decried the systemic exclusion of South African citizens and township business owners from accessing crucial government support as the nation grapples with a burgeoning informal retail sector. . Image: Independent Newspapers Archives The Count Me in Movement has taken a firm stand against the "systematic exclusion" of South Africans within the current Spaza Shop regulatory framework, calling in the process for a significant overhaul of South Africa's spaza shop regulatory system. The movement said the current system excludes township business owners from accessing crucial government support while the nation continues to grapple with a burgeoning informal retail sector. This comes after the recent government announcement of the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund (SSSF), which seeks to empower eligible South African spaza shop owners in both townships and rural areas, offering them a lifeline to improve, expand, and sustain their businesses. However, the Count Me in Movement argues that many local entrepreneurs remain locked out of this initiative, primarily due to excessive compliance burdens, fragmented registration processes, and pervasive barriers within the licensing system. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ In a statement released on Friday, the movement appealed directly to Small Business Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, urging her to address these pressing challenges. They disclosed that while spaza shops play a pivotal role in township economies, a lack of streamlined and accessible compliance requirements often deters local operators from benefiting from government initiatives. "Despite playing a critical role in township economies, many of these businesses remain locked out of the Spaza Shop Support fund due to excessive compliance. burdens, fragmented registration requirements, and systematic barriers in the licensing process," it said. The movement said unregistered spaza shop owners, most of whom are undocumented foreigners have made the process very difficult for local spaza shop operators. "Adding to the challenge is the rapid proliferation of unregistered spaza shops, operated by undocumented foreign nationals, who are not subjected to the same inspections or regulatory scrutiny--creating an uneven and unfair playing field for local entrepreneurs. "Our local entrepreneurs are being set up to fail by a system that expects full compliance with scattered, expensive and inaccessible requirements. The current model disproportionately impacts South African spaza shop owners who lack the digital access, financial resources, or administrative support required to navigate complex state systems," the movement added.
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Western Cape Government launches R2bn housing project for 2,600 homes
Over 2,600 affordable housing units will rise next to the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town's largest inner-city housing development, Founders Garden. Image: Supplied In a significant move to address the housing shortage and enhance urban living, the Western Cape Government has unveiled its largest inner-city hosing development to date offering more than 2 600 residential units in the heart of Cape Town's CBD. Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, officially unveiled the Founders Garden development on Friday. With a projected value of more than R2 billion, the high-rise, mixed-use project will deliver 1,476 social housing units and 1,162 open-market units, bringing the total to over 2,630 new homes. 'This development is the largest public sector housing development in the CBD,' said Minister Simmers. 'I am extremely proud of how the Western Cape Government is accelerating the delivery of housing opportunities.' The project, situated next to the Artscape Theatre Centre and within walking distance of key public transport nodes and health services, is part of a broader provincial effort to bring affordable housing closer to the city's economic heart. The site will also feature an Early Childhood Development Centre and other public amenities, ensuring it becomes a fully integrated urban space. Premier Winde stressed the broader impact of the initiative. 'This development is a perfect example of how we are approaching affordable housing development, always striving to bring services, housing and recreation closer to communities, while enhancing access to economic opportunities for our residents.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The Founders Garden project is the second of three major inner-city housing developments planned for 2025. The Leeuloop Precinct, offering 840 housing opportunities, has already gone out to tender. The tender for the Founders Garden development, to procure both a developer and social housing institution, was officially published today. 'For us, it is about more than just housing,' said Minister Simmers. 'It is about turning public land into opportunity, Infrastructure must promote spatial justice, empower communities, and create job and economic opportunities for all.' With this ambitious launch, the Western Cape Government is not just building homes, it is building a future where affordable, dignified urban living is within reach for thousands of Cape Town residents. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
