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/ 23 February 2005

TAC worries about spending of Aids budget

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) says it is happy with the amount Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel set aside for HIV/Aids on Wednesday but worries about whether it will be spent properly. The total budget for fighting HIV/Aids will rise in the coming year to about R4,3-billion, a rise of about R1-billion over current spending.

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/ 23 February 2005

Palestinian prime minister’s future on the line

Beleaguered Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia’s future was on the line Wednesday as he shied away from a vote in Parliament on his prospective Cabinet, which has already begun to unravel. Barely an hour before MPs were to begin a session to vote on his ministerial team, a legislative council spokesperson announced that the meeting was off.

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/ 23 February 2005

Manuel on booze, houses and suntanning

Whether drowning your sorrows or celebrating your fiscal gains in 2005, both will be more expensive as Minister of Finance Trevor Manual has announced increases in excise duties on most alcoholic beverages on Wednesday during his Budget address. Also, from March 1, buying a house will cost buyers less as Manuel announced the reduction of transfer duties on properties.

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/ 23 February 2005

Household spending soars

Real household consumption spending grew at an estimated year-on-year rate of 5,9% during 2004, according to Budget information tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. The documents were tabled by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel while presenting his Budget in the National Assembly.

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/ 23 February 2005

SA saving rate among lowest in the world

South Africa’s savings rate is among the lowest in the world, according to the Budget Review, tabled by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel on Wednesday.The document says savings in the country dropped from 16,2% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter of 2003, to 14,7% of GDP in the third quarter of 2004.