Fresh from presenting his 10th Budget, Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel on Thursday dismissed any suggestion that he is tired of his job.
Replying to a question at a Cape Town post-Budget breakfast on whether he is considering retirement, he said it is a privilege to serve, and that as a South African he cannot ask for anything more challenging in his life.
”It doesn’t make me wealthy, but I think just the pleasure of working with a competent group of South Africans who have worked tirelessly to ensure that we can improve the quality of life of our people, to ensure that we can deliver a tangible democracy, is a privilege.
”And I’d like to respond to that privilege with every fibre of my being for as long as I can.
”I don’t decide when to do a job like this, and I think I don’t decide when to step out of it either.”
Speaking about the tax amnesty for the taxi industry he announced on Wednesday, Manuel said he hopes the link is being made between the amnesty and the signal that the taxi-recapitalisation programme will require something out of the pockets of taxpayers.
”I don’t think it’s correct to give money to people who refuse to pay tax,” he said. ”Those are the balances. The net gain for all of us in South Africa is that we have a fleet of taxis that would be significantly safer for commuters and also for other drivers.”
South African Revenue Service head Pravin Gordhan said the service is committed to making the amnesty — which will eventually be extended to all businesses with a turnover of less than R5-million — work.
”This is yet another milestone in broadening the South African tax base, in making sure that all people pay their fair share, and that we improve our overall compliance culture.” — Sapa