Give Cyril a chance

WITH reference to the letter by Portia Adams on March 6.

The DA is to be commended for its efforts in providing a platform for all the peoples of our country – the only party to do so – and for speaking out against the abuse of power and crass stupidity that has characterised ANC rule, especially during the Zuma era.

However, this does not mean that everything the party utters is gospel or that it has a monopoly on what is right. Ms Adams misses the thrust of my March 1 letter. Cyril Ramaphosa is a breath of fresh air if ever there was one.

SA Inc is in a massive hole that will take decades to emerge from.

We have to ensure that viper, and would-be African Hitler, Julius Malema, is never put in a position to be the kingmaker because the ANC receive less than 50% of the votes come 2019.

So if Cyril and his team start a turnaround in SA fortunes, perhaps a cross next to his name next year may not be a bad thing?

The DA was small-minded in not rising in Parliament to wish Cyril well. And one might conclude that the DA’s seemingly knee-jerk reaction to the 1% VAT increase may have been more a points scoring exercise, or to garner more votes, than a reasoned appraisal of this decision. I contend that the 1% rise in VAT is the quickest and fairest way to raise the necessary funds for the daily running of the country.

The quickest because the extra funds will start rolling into the fiscus come April 1. The fairest because the tax burden will now be more evenly spread, and not concentrated on a small sector of the population.

It should have been done years ago, I aver, but in hindsight perhaps not, as the Zuptoids would have had access to even more cash.

Of course Parliament is bloated, but Cyril has committed to a reduction in the numbers of ministries and parliamentarians. He’s just been made captain of a sinking ship. Give the man and his crew a decent chance to man the pumps.

The bleat about the poor being disadvantaged is, I believe, misplaced, as any reasoned appraisal will reveal that the bulk of VAT revenues will continue to be garnered from middle and upper economic classes for the simple reason that most of what lower economic folk buy is zero-rated, and the list of zerorated items is to be extended to protect them, and the more fortunate among us have more money to buy goods. And for heaven’s sake does a R100 item increasing from R114 to R115 and a R300 000 car now costing an extra R3 000 constitute a massive blow to anybody?

By all means Ms Adams speak out, but please speak sense.

Gavin Hillyard Somerset West