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/ 23 February 2005
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/197779/special_rep_icon_template.gif" align=left>South African economists have reacted positively to Finance Minister Trevor Manuel’s Budget speech delivered on Wednesday, saying they were surprised by the 1% cut in corporate tax, but that it was a "stimulus is in the right place". Dawie Roodt from the Efficient Group said the government had shown itself to have "real guts".
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/ 23 February 2005
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/197779/special_rep_icon_template.gif" align=left>Excise duties on alcoholic beverages have been increased by between 9,4% and 20% as part of the government’s 2005/06 Budget, according to Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel. Excise duty on unfortified wine and sparkling wine will see the largest increases (20% each on a nominal basis, 15,8% real).
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/ 23 February 2005
South Africa’s national Budget presented on Wednesday provides R6-billion for the land restitution programme over the next three years. Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said this would be to "complete the programme" — although Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Thoko Didiza has estimated R13-billion would be needed to wrap up the programme.
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/ 23 February 2005
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/197779/special_rep_icon_template.gif" align=left>The second draft of the proposed Mineral and Petroleum Royalty Bill is expected to be available for public comment during the first half of 2005, with submission to Parliament before the close of the year, according to Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.
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/ 23 February 2005
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/197779/special_rep_icon_template.gif" align=left>The maximum old age, disability and care dependency grants will rise by R40 to R780 a month from April 2005, Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel announced on Wednesday. In his national Budget speech he said that foster-care grants will be increased by R30 to R560 and the child-support grant goes up by R10 to R180 a month.
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/ 23 February 2005
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/197779/special_rep_icon_template.gif" align=left>Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel has unveiled reductions in personal income tax totalling R6,8-billion for the 2005/06 financial year as part of the government’s 2005 Budget. Outlining Budget proposals in Parliament on Wednesday, Manuel said the reductions will benefit taxpayers across all income brackets.
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/ 23 February 2005
An 81-year-old Buddhist monk who mistook superglue for eyedrops has regained sight in one eye after undergoing surgery to remove the glue, The Nation newspaper reported on Wednesday. Phra Khru Prapatworakhun underwent a two-hour operation using acetone solvent to remove the glue from his right eye.
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/ 23 February 2005
A Malaysian state plans to build new public toilets equipped with soft, background music and newspapers for people to enjoy while using the bathroom. Officials announced that ”happy and healthy toilets” would be installed in popular spots in the northeastern state of Kelantan, The Star daily reported on Wednesday.
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/ 23 February 2005
Queen Elizabeth II stunned royal observers on Wednesday by announcing she would not attend her son Prince Charles’ civil wedding to his longtime companion Camilla Parker Bowles, with some declaring it a snub to an indecorous city hall ceremony.
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/ 23 February 2005
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/197779/special_rep_icon_template.gif" align=left>South Africa’s public sector capital expenditure is expected to grow at an average of 18,8% per annum over the year-year period covered by the 2005 Medium Term Expenditure Framework from an average of 11,7% a year between 2001/02 and 2004/05, the Treasury said in its Budget Review on Wednesday.