News 12:00

BULLETIN 19 November 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# SARS issues over 1.9-million tax directives under the two-pot system
# Rugby: The Boks assistant coach says they won’t underestimate Wales
# And Denmark will tax the flatulence of cattle and pigs from 2030

# The South African Revenue Service is urging taxpayers to ensure they use correct identity and tax numbers when applying for tax directives under the two-pot pension fund system. Since the inception of the system, SARS has issued over 1.9-million directives, with a value of almost 50-billion-rand. SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter encourages the use of digital channels, such as the WhatsApp calculator and website tools, to streamline the process and avoid delays. Taxpayers are advised to comply correctly to avoid criminality.

# The Green Connection says Eskom’s proposed tariff hike is simply unaffordable for the majority of South Africans. The power utility has applied to the energy regulator, Nersa, for a 36-percent hike in electricity prices next year. Nersa’s public hearings into Eskom’s proposed tariff hike are currently underway in Cape Town. Green Connection’s Liziwe McDaid says it is problematic that while Eskom fails to provide stable electricity, it expects customers to pay more:

# The City of Tshwane says it is recording a decline in the water levels at the Atteridgeville, Laudium, Lotus and Soshanguve Block L reservoirs. The metro’s spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo, says the Department of Utility Services’ management is engaging with Rand Water. He adds that they are looking at what could be causing the unaccepted decline in the water levels:

# Rugby: Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids says they will not underestimate Wales in their final Outgoing Tour match in Cardiff on Saturday. The Welshmen, who made the World Cup quarterfinals just over a year ago, are seeking to end their eleven-Test match losing run, while the Boks will be hunting for their third successive victory. Davids says they still need to be at their best, regardless of Wales’ previous results:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-96-cents and the euro at 19-rand-1-cent. One British pound costs 22-rand-75-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-622-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-619-dollars-95-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-81-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Denmark’s government says the country’s major parties had agreed on the details of the world’s first carbon tax on emissions by livestock. From 2030, methane emissions caused by flatulence from cattle and pigs will be taxed. This is part of a larger environmental plan. Around 60-percent of Denmark’s territory is currently cultivated, making it the country with the highest share of cultivated land, together with Bangladesh. Ten-percent of cultivated land will be converted to natural habitat. The plan also calls for 250-thousand hectares of forest to be planted.

Stay tuned for more news………….