Readers’Views
Corrupt public servants could be purged in one fell swoop
So not only were many government workers on taxpayer-sponsored long leave throughout the lockdown period on full pay, they were also cashing in on additional grants meant for the poor. Like ensuring each of their children got a grant, their dead parents and even themselves.
And now they are demanding an above-inflation increase.
This may give Tito Mboweni the ideal gift to get the cuts he needs on the state salary bill.
I know I would be poring over the data from the auditor-general, and preparing papers for the immediate dismissal of every government employee involved.
It may end up being the cheapest and quickest mass retrenchment exercise ever.
Richard Bryant, on businessLIVE
Is there any hope that our country will survive this rampant corruption?
It is now so embedded that I fear nothing will change.
Dave R, on businessLIVE
Taxes go to the criminally corrupt
“Toxic cocktail of woes for taxman” (Newsmaker, August 30) refers.
Well, it is a simple, straightforward equation — if you pay your hardearned money to the South African Revenue Service (Sars) in the form of taxes, and it, in turn, gives it to a criminally corrupt government that steals it, you are no longer under any moral obligation to pay your taxes to said corrupt government.
Stephen O’Hagan, on businessLIVE
A spiral of resources is diverted to catch people declared “criminals” and the efficiency and productivity of the system declines.
It’s not just Sars — it includes the police, the courts, prisons and lawyers, and the whole society becomes rotten.
Michael Mouse, on businessLIVE
As long as there is no respect for taxpayers and tax proceeds, the woes will continue because we are gatvol.
The ANC can get its supporters and taxi-industry comrades to cough up some taxes.
Tame Impala, on businessLIVE
Dragged to the bottom by Eskom
[Eskom is] a sinking ship that will take down the economy unless we cut it loose. We could invest R50bn annually in green energy and have cheap, clean electricity for 20 years. Instead, we chose to feed a monster that will bankrupt us.
Pierre Jordaan, on businessLIVE