An increase in sin taxes and the fuel levy are predicted in this month’s Budget speech, according to a tax expert at financial services firm Deloitte. ”In line with prior years, we expect inflationary increases on most alcoholic beverages, with low increases on traditional African beer,” said Duane Newman.

There is a crisis in literature. Readers have stopped reading, and drawn instead to other perhaps more modish forms of entertainment. Sales are down, authors are despondent, salons are closing and literary lunches have become drab affairs. But United States publishers have come to the rescue.

Johannesburg Metro Police have arrested nine staff members in their crackdown against corruption, spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said on Wednesday. He said that investigations were finalised on Tuesday and by Wednesday, two of corrupt policemen had appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.