Tag: Corporate Income Tax (CIT)

With the budget speech being delivered in an election year, I expect to hear populist promises and over-optimism which is geared more to voters than the financial markets. We will need to scrutinise the numbers coming out of the budget very carefully to see if Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget proposals are viable and achievable given the country’s high debt burden and strained tax base.

The South African taxi industry, a cornerstone of the nation's transport landscape, has long been under scrutiny for its apparent underpayment of taxes. However, a closer examination reveals a more complex reality. In 2021, the industry paid only R5 million in annual Corporate Income Tax (CIT). This is a small amount compared to the industry’s estimated annual revenue of R90 billion.

The National Budget delivered by South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, showed that government is making some significant financial commitments to restore Eskom to viability and maintain social grants. But with GDP growth projected at 1.4% on average from 2023 to 2025, and a potential tapering-off of the commodities boom over the medium term, how will government fund these commitments?

On Wednesday afternoon, the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, had the unenviable task of delivering the annual Budget Speech. Over the last year, and especially over the last few months, South Africa has taken one knock after another.

The 2023 Budget was tabled to Parliament on 22 February 2023 by South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.

Taxes are never pleasant, but they can do a lot of good if used in the right way, such as providing access to education and healthcare for the poor through vouchers. Taxes can also do a lot of harm by dissuading savings and investments, which ultimately leads to less jobs and a reduced ability for people to take care of their own needs. This is especially the case when it comes to dividend withholding tax and personal income tax.

Given the ever-changing landscape of the past two years, the adage that nothing is certain except death and taxes is perhaps more apposite than ever. Whilst it may appear that a semblance of normality is returning, its almost as certain as death and taxes, that remote working will be a part of the next normal.

South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Mr. Enoch Godongwana, delivered his maiden National Budget Speech to the National Assembly on Wednesday, 23 February 2022. A crucial function of the Budget Speech is to provide details of spending and make proposals about how the priorities outlined in the President’s State of the Nation Address will be funded.

The National Budget was characterised by the balance between social welfare expenditure and fiscal sustainability amid a disappointing outlook for GDP growth in South Africa. The estimate for GDP growth for 2021 was reduced from 5.1% to 4.8% and forecasted to grow at 1.8% p.a. over the next three years.

The Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, delivered the 2022 Budget to parliament. Discussed below are key highlights from the 2022 Budget Review: