Business is not an eternal cash cow

The debacle around the redirecting of funds from Liliesleaf to operational costs reminds me of the situation in 1995 surrounding the joint services board (JSB) and regional services council (RSC) levies.

Introduced by the apartheid government, the levies saw businesses taxed on their turnover and wage bill to fund infrastructure in rural areas, such as community halls, fire brigades and sports fields.

Once the new administration was established with its bloated staff complement, the JSB/RSC funds were directed to pay councillors’ salaries and benefits — the equivalent of paying for a Rolls-Royce but being supplied with a Volkswagen Beetle.

Will we ever convince the government that business is not an eternal cash cow?