Tributum Newsletter #30
What a month. Another one. No physical looting but so many other things going on. Its difficult to keep up sometimes. Like JZ with his legal bills…
A controversial green paper on social security reform was issued that suggest that retirement contributions for employers and employees will become mandatory, and that it will be managed at a National Government level. There is also a new proposal for nuclear power and the basic wage grant is set to become a permanent fixture. Before we even delve into Government’s (mis)management record the funding of these programs is an issue.
The Institute of Economic Justice published a paper suggesting how these grants can be funded, and woe the middle-and-upper class taxpayer. On the other hand, National Treasury has warned that SA must be more realistic about is social security plans while ANC Treasury General Paul Mashatile also warned against tax hikes to fund welfare benefits.
While I agree with him on that one, his management of the ANC’s finance does beg a question so important that the Citizen newspaper ran an editorial on 28 August 2021 that was headed “How can a party that can’t run itself hope to run a country?”. That is because ANC staffers are said to go a second straight month without their salaries. So far the ANC response to that great question is…there are cash flow problems. And a crowdfunding plea issued on Twitter on 29 August.
WTF. What will happen when SA runs out of money or taxpayers? Spend more on Government wages and basic income grants with money it continues to borrow? Or does it think Twitter crowdfunding requests to SAFAS abroad is the answer? Maybe it can read – “Calling all expats. Please help us make SA great again, even if you no longer live here.” It would be funny if it was not so scary.
Why is Government spending time and resources concocting plans to solve the problems of tomorrow if they are not even dealing with the problems of today? Surely if today’s problems are solved then tomorrow’s problems will change, or even disappear completely. But that will require more than a plan or crowdfunding. That will require Government actually DOING something for a change.
Some good news is that there appears to be traction against the corrupt. VBS cases have court dates, SARS raised assessments against Brian Shivambu for payments that are linked to Floyd and there is increased heat on Gupta linked companies. The net seems to be pulling closer and dare I ask whether that is part of the reason for the ANC’s “cash flow problem”?
Over the last week in August it became clear that Winter will not go down without a fight and that it is trying its best to delay Spring as long as possible. Hopefully the stories improve with the weather. Until next time, enjoy Spring Day, stay safe, and keep breathing.