Stop the VAT Increase – Protect South Africans from Rising Costs!
In an unprecedented move, the South African government’s 2025 Budget Speech has been postponed to 12 March 2025 due to disagreements within the Government of National Unity (GNU) over a proposed increase in Value-Added Tax (VAT) from 15% to 17%. The Democratic Alliance (DA), a key coalition partner, has strongly opposed this hike, arguing that […]
Despite decline in unemployment rate, youth unemployment in South Africa hits 59.6%
South Africa’s Unemployment Rate Declines, Youth Unemployment Remains High The latest labour force data reveals that South Africa’s unemployment rate has declined to 31.9% in Q4 2024, a 0.2 percentage point drop. Read more on IOL
Begroting | Het ander belastingskokke ook gewag?
Die besluit om die begrotingsrede ter elfder ure vir amper ’n maand lank uit te stel te midde van onenigheid oor ’n verhoging in BTW, laat die vraag ontstaan oor of daar ook ander belastingskokke gewag het. BTW is in 2018 van 14% tot 15% verhoog en Enoch Godongwana, minister van finansies, wou dit nou […]
R8.8bn more earmarked for public employment programmes
Chaos ensued on Wednesday when the 2025/26 budget was suddenly not tabled, sending the rand into a tailspin and triggering turmoil in the Government of National Unity. “Cabinet, therefore, decided not to come and do a presentation of the budget”, said Speaker Thoko Didiza, stating a return on Wednesday, 12 March. Treasury has since lifted […]
Drop in SA Unemployment rate Welcomed, But Sustainable Solutions Must Focus on the Private Sector
South Africa’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Q4 2024 shows a marginal decline in unemployment, with 132,000 more people employed and 20,000 fewer unemployed, bringing the official unemployment rate down from 32.1% to 31.9%. While Free SA welcomes any progress in tackling unemployment, this slight improvement does not change the fundamental crisis that […]
Onteiening: Kaptein Ahab jag steeds sy walvis
Deur Paul Maritz, Free SA direkteur Naby aan die einde van Herman Melville se 1851 meesterstuk, as dit vir almal aan boord duidelik geword het dat kaptein Ahab se obsessie met Moby Dick se dood tot hulle almal se einde gaan lei, skreeu sy eerste stuurman, Starbuck, vir hom: “Dit is nog nie te laat […]
The cobra on the counter: How another sin tax helps no one but the government
by Paul Maritz, Director at Free SA The South African government is currently considering further tax increases on alcoholic beverages, ostensibly to combat alcohol abuse. At first glance, this might seem like a logical and well-intended initiative. However, as with many simplistic solutions to complex problems, history has shown that so-called sin taxes are not […]
State Capture 2.0? SA’s latest lesson in political déjà vu
By Reuben Coetzer, Free SA spokesperson South Africa’s ruling class has an uncanny ability to learn all the wrong lessons from history. Every time we think we’ve hit rock bottom, the government appears with a fresh shovel, determined to dig deeper. Enter the National State Enterprises Bill, a legislative proposal that seeks to consolidate South […]
Public outcry over State Enterprises Bill: Free SA urges SAns to resist State Capture 2.0 during public participation process
The Foundation for Rights of Expression and Equality (Free SA) has registered its concerns regarding the proposed National State Enterprises Bill, which it suggests will usher in ‘state capture 2.0’. The organisation has submitted a detailed parliamentary submission (see attached) outlining the risks contained in the Bill as part of the public participation process which […]
Paul Maritz: National State Enterprises Bill is the path to state capture 2.0
by Paul Maritz, Director at Free SA SA’s relationship with its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) reads like a screenplay from Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather — mismanagement, corruption, financial waste and exorbitantly expensive tailor-made suits. Yet despite all of these failures government has decided to stay the course — marching straight towards even more centralisation of power and […]