Treasury has on Monday published for public comment a discussion paper regarding the taxation of alcoholic beverages in the country.

The paper, entitled ‘Review of the Taxation of Alcoholic Beverages in South Africa’, follows the 2010 and 2012 budget announcements.

According to National Treasury, this discussion document analyses the current excise duty structure for alcoholic beverages since its implementation in 2002, recent developments in excise policy formulation both locally and internationally, and the scope of using the excise duty system to internalise the social external costs arising from alcohol abuse.

Concerns with the current alcoholic beverage tax regime include the need to update the current benchmarks; anomalies in the ready-to-drink, cider, and alcoholic fruit beverages beverage market; structural changes in alcoholic beverages market; the appropriate classification and taxation of mixed and fermented alcoholic beverages and the displacement of some lower priced products into the illegal sector.

Treasury said the proposals contained in the discussion paper should be seen as part of a package of measures aimed at encouraging a more responsible use of alcohol.

Other measures include excise duties on alcoholic beverages, limits on the drinking age, restrictions on liquor trading hours, restrictions on alcohol advertising, education targeted at the youth and other groups at risk (e.g. pregnant women), better enforcement of laws and regulations to combat alcohol abuse and illicit trade, and higher penalties for drinking and driving.

Among the key aspects raised in the discussion document for consideration, in the reform of the excise tax regime for alcoholic beverages, are:

- The recognition of the social costs of alcohol abuse and the need to include such costs in the price of alcohol;

- The need to keep track of international benchmarks;

- Whether the current approach to target the total consumption tax burdens of wine, clear beer and spirits should be reviewed;

- Whether a uniform tax based on alcohol content rather than by product type (e.g. wine, beer, spirits, etc.) should be considered;

- Dealing with anomalies in the cider, alcoholic fruit beverage, and sprits cooler market (sometimes collectively referred to as the ready-to-drink market);

- The appropriate classification and taxation of mixed and fermented alcoholic beverages;

- Taking account of changes in the structure of the alcoholic beverage market;

- Technological advances in production techniques and product development; and

- The displacement of some lower priced products

Copies of the discussion paper are available on the National Treasury website: treasury.gov.za.

Written comments should be submitted to Riaan Labuschagne at Riaan.Labuschagne @ treasury .gov.za by the close of business on 30 June 2014. – SAnews.gov.za

South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 25.2% in the first quarter of 2014, up from the 24.1% in the fourth quarter of 2013, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Monday.

The unemployment rate increased in the first three months of 2014 from the previous rate of 24.1%, according to the Quarterly Labour Force (QLF) report released by Stats SA.

The number of people without work increased by 237 000, showing that this amounted to five million people, noted the report that polls households.

Year-on-year figures show that both employment and unemployment rose by 496 000 and 205 000 respectively.

The unemployment rate increased by 0.2%, while the absorption rate and labour force participation rate increased by 0.7% and 1% respectively.

A decrease in employment was mainly driven by a decrease in employment in the transport, storage and communication industries.

“Between the fourth quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014, the number of employed people declined by 122 000 mainly due to decreases observed in transport (66 000), community and social services (42 000) and trade (38 000) industries,” noted the report.

Releasing the report, Statistician General Pali Lehohla said that unemployment is the main poverty driver in the country.

In the first quarter, formal sector employment increased in the construction and manufacturing industries.

In its reaction to the data, Nedbank economists said the rise in unemployment reflects a sharp drop in employment in the informal non-agricultural sector jobs, saying it is likely to remain high.

“The unemployment rate is likely to remain high in the short term given weak domestic demand, rising input costs, labour disputes, significant infrastructure constraints and other regulatory issues in some of the key sectors.

“Today's figures provide further evidence that local economic performance is still well below potential. However, we anticipate that the Reserve Bank will tighten policy gradually by a cumulative 50 basis points over the next few months as inflation rises above the target range,” said Nedbank.

According to the report, youth continued to be vulnerable in the labour market, although their level of educational attainment has improved over 2008 to 2014. “In the first quarter of 2014 the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 34 was 36.1%, which is 3.4% higher than in the first quarter of 2008,” it said. - SAnews.gov.za

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has released three mobile phone applications (apps) to enhance voter education and information ahead next Wednesday’s general elections.

The mobile apps are part of efforts by the IEC to bring voting information to the masses on devices that the majority of people use.

The first set of apps provides information on the elections through mobile devices such as smart cellphones, tablets, iPads and slates.

The information accessible on these mediums includes voter information such as registration status, voting station locations, special votes and out-of-country notifications; election information such as candidates lists, elections results, seat calculations and assignment and general information such as frequently asked questions, contacts, etc.

The mobile app can be downloaded free from all major app stores on Android, BlackBerry, Apple, Windows 8 and Symbian platforms.

Chief Information Officer Libisi Maphanga said voters will also be able to access and follow the 2014 elections results in real-time throughout the capturing process through their mobile devices from anywhere and anytime, from the first result to the last, including the final seat calculation and seat allocation.

“Voters will be able join us and all stakeholders in journey of monitoring the correctness of what is capture and calculate the final results with us.”

The second app forms part of the Electoral Commission’s education campaign for young voters. The “IXSA” app is a 3D digital game which introduces first-time voters to the voting process in a fun, interactive and innovative way.

The game can be downloaded free from Android and Apple app stores and is also available to play on Facebook. Links to the downloads are available on http://www.elections.org.za.

The game allows users to pick an avatar and then follow this character on Election Day – facing a number of challenges along the way which educate voters how, when and where to cast their vote.

Players earn points for how election-savvy they are and can complete against other South Africans by posting their scores on social media and challenging their friends to beat their score.

Dr Nomsa Masuku, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer: Outreach said the game is about making the voting process accessible to young people in a format they are familiar with – and in their pockets and on the move via their smart phones.

“Learning is best achieved when people are having fun and don’t feel like they are being taught. The digital gaming world is the perfect place to combine education and entertainment.”

The third set of applications are API’s (Application Programming Interface) which gives the media, political parties and all interested stakeholders automated real-time access to elections’ data and information using their own apps on any online platform of their choice.-SAnews.gov.za

Government has condemned in the strongest terms the kidnapping of 230 girls from a school in the town of Chibok, in northern Nigeria.

“The South African Government would like to express its concern about the fate of [the school girls] … the South African Government calls on the perpetrators of this heinous act to release the persons immediately and refrain from harming the kidnapped persons,” said government in a statement issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation on Friday.

The department said South Africa reiterates its condemnation of all forms and manner of terrorism. “South Africa believes that terrorism, in any form and from whichever quarter, cannot be condoned.”

It added that South Africa calls on the African Union member states and the international community to support Nigeria in their fight against terrorism.

South Africa and Nigeria enjoy cordial bilateral relations, structured under the Bi-National Commission (BNC) that was officially inaugurated in 1999. South Africa’s bilateral partnership with Nigeria spans across a wide spectrum covering political, economic and social cooperation.

Meanwhile, South Africa also condemned the terrorist attack which took place at a railway station in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in north west China on 30 April. Three people lost their lives and 79 were injured.

“The South African Government sends it deepest condolences to the Government and the people of the People’s Republic of China, and in particular to the families of the deceased and wish the injured speedy recoveries.” - SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Labour will next week hold nationwide public hearings on the contract cleaning sector which will review the minimum wage for the sector.

The hearings will begin simultaneously on Thursday in Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and Gauteng.

In Mpumalanga, the public hearing will be held at the department’s offices’ boardroom at Standard Bank building at 29 Brown Street, in Nelspruit.

In the Northern Cape, it will be held at Savoy Hotel 19 Old De Beers Road and in Gauteng it will be held at the department’s main boardroom at 3rd floor of 77 De Korte Street, Braamfontein.

The hearings will culminate on May 28 in Free State and Eastern Cape provinces.

The department described the “contract cleaning sector” as the sector in which employers and employees are associated for the purpose of cleaning or washing by hand or machine, of furniture, windows, carpets, doors, floors, tools, machinery, under supervision at industrial and commercial premises, buildings, and flats that are let commercially or any airplanes, trucks, cars, buses, trains or any other vehicle requiring to be cleaned.

In terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the current sectoral determination, which governs the minimum wage and conditions of employment for the contract cleaning sector, started on 01/12/2013 and will run until 30/11/2014.

The current sectoral determination prescribes a minimum hourly wage rate of R15.69 for people employed in major metropolitan councils (City of Cape Town, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela) and local councils areas (Emfuleni, Westonaria, Metsimaholo, Stellenbosch, Mogale City); and those in the rest of South Africa the rate is R14.21. – SAnews.gov.za

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As South Africa celebrates 20 years of freedom and democracy, Neo Semono discovers that life has changed for the better in her rural home village.

As I drive past road construction workers attending to potholes, a sign leading to Ga-Ramakgapola village in Moletji brings back fond memories. Having spent so many years surrounded by the bright lights of Pretoria, it’s always good to visit the village that was the only home I knew as a child.

Although there have been infrastructural developments, the lifestyle of my people hasn’t changed much, I notice. Houses, many of which are modern and modest in size, still spot the old traditional rondavels -- painted in my cultural Pedi colours of yellow, orange and blue -- presumably used as storage rooms.

Kraals are still a standard feature at most houses, which now have uniform house numbers. Back in the day, most of the houses did not.

As I drive along the road approaching my village, an occasional herd of cattle or goats cross the dusty gravel roads, a familiar sight in this part of the world.

The attention of a sleeping dog is not roused by a lone cow that moos in the distance as I finally reach my grandmother’s house.

“Nobody herds cattle the way that we did anymore. It has advanced,” quips my uncle.

Nowadays, says my uncle Murphy, herding is done by cell phone, with herders calling each other to inform one another of the whereabouts of their livestock.

As a child, I remember the gravel road - which is still present today - as an element I did not appreciate, as it meant having to put on shoes to avoid cuts to one’s feet. Chores included being sent to the only spaza shop to buy bread to accompany morning tea.

There was no electricity back then and for any heating or cooking purposes, firewood, candles and matches were the order of the day.

On days that the whole extended family came together and especially on the day of a family wedding, the big guns came out - that is the big, heavy three legged pots, more firewood and “dishu” was then needed. Wondering what “dishu” is? Loosely translated, “dishu” is cow dung that has been dried and is used as fuel for cooking.

This year, South Africa celebrates 20 years of democracy, a democracy which was hard won following the struggles of the black majority. The majority voted for the first time in 1994, paving the way for change for those who predominantly lacked access to basic services during the apartheid years.

On this day of my visit to my grandmother’s house, I simply switch on the kettle to boil water to make tea, a process which takes less than five minutes nowadays, compared to the lengthy process involved in days gone by.

The advent of electricity has no doubt changed the life of this village.

“I now cook using an electric stove,” says local farmer Frans Khwinana when I pop into his house and find him cooking.

As we sit in his lounge, we both agree that had it not been for government intervention, few people would have access to electricity as unemployment is still a challenge in this village.

Since July 2003, government commenced the provision of free basic electricity to Ga-Ramakgapola village. Villagers are provided with free basic electricity of at least 50kWh per household per month to poor households connected to the national grid.

This action has seen the village swap candles for light switches.

“I believe that few people went to bed on that first night of having electricity. The mood was of great excitement. We no longer had to buy batteries for our radios,” says Khwinana as he disappears into the mealie plantation in his yard.

From what I can recall, the electricity connection arrived some time after my grandmother’s passing in 2004. I know she would be proud to see that her modest yellow house now has electricity.

Villagers still rely on subsistence farming for their needs, as can be seen by the tall mealie plantations in their backyards.

What lands on dinner plates for these villagers is produce coming from their very own backyard or from local farmers such as Khwinana, who sells his produce to the community.

The local government has provided trucks to help with the ploughing of fields for farmers in this area.

As a man pushes a wheelbarrow past Khwinana’s house, it reminds me of a time when children accompanied adults armed with buckets and those fortunate enough to own a wheelbarrow to the communal water pump. If you did not own one, you simply carried the bucket of water on your head. As a child, I enjoyed the trips as it gave one an opportunity to get away from the watchful eye of my grandmother.

As I became a young adult however, I came to the realisation that having to fetch water in this manner was a gruelling task for the grown-ups, who had to await their turn not only to collect water but then also having to push the now heavy wheelbarrow back home.

Today, that landscape has changed. Everyone now has a tap in their very own yards and the sight of women doing their laundry in the nearby river is a thing of the past.

In February 2009, Manamela Clinic opened its doors, bringing healthcare closer to the community. The clinic is located in the neighbouring Ga-Manamela village. In the past, villagers had to travel long distances to the WF Knobel Hospital for medical attention.

On my visit to the clinic, I meet Frans Rapudi, who is waiting on the wooden benches to see a nurse. The queue is not long, says Rapudi, who tells me that on every trip he’s done to the clinic, he has never been turned away on account of his medication not having arrived yet.

The modest clinic is open to residents 24 hours a day.

In the past 20 years since democracy, the housing landscape in the area has changed too. RDP homes now dot the village alongside other modest houses and rondavels. Sure there are no high rise buildings but the landscape has indeed changed for the better.

Still rooted in ubuntu

Though a lot has changed, the kindness of villagers to one another that I remember as a child still remains. There is great respect for each other in this tiny village where everybody knows one another.

This too extends to the local tribal authority.

I meet an elderly woman near the Moletji Traditional Authority offices in a neighbouring village, who tells me that the offices are closed for the day as rain clouds gather in the horizon.

She comes closer as I stop the car to ask me where I’m from. It turns out she knows some of my family members. By now it’s starting to drizzle, but she carries on talking to me. Eventually, she tells me she has to leave and one cannot help but feel the warmth and care exuded by people not only of Ga-Ramakgapola village but that of people from the surrounding villages of Moletji.

Although unemployment and a lack of proper roads are among the issues that still need to be addressed in this area, I’m proud of the progress that has been seen by the village of Ga-Ramakgapola in the past 20 years. - SAnews.gov.za

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Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe will officially open a One Stop Service Centre for miners at Carletonville Hospital today.

The facility, which has been built specially for ex-miners, miners and the community of Merafong City, will provide medical, rehabilitation, social and financial support services, as well as assistance with compensation, pension and provident funds.

In addition to the above, the centre will also provide assistance to miners injured on duty, health promotion services such as blood pressure screening and HIV counselling and testing as well as TB counselling and testing.

The One Stop Services project will also benefit ex-miners, who are from neighbouring countries.

Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, his deputy Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, Minister of Mineral Resources Susan Shabangu and her deputy Godfrey Oliphant, Gauteng Health MEC Hope Papo and local mayors and councillors will be present at the opening of the centre.

A similar centre opened at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha earlier this month. – SAnews.gov.za