No image available
/ 18 February 2004
In his Budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday, Minister of Finance Manuel said that the exchange rate of the rand is not under control of the government. "The United States elections in November will create all manner of uncertainty, so I would rather not speculate on the exchange rate," Manuel said.
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
There were no real surprises in Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel’s 2004/05 Budget on Wednesday, with modest relief for taxpayers, increased social spending, and higher "sin taxes" and fuel levies. Lower to middle-income earners will be the main beneficiaries of R4-billion in personal income tax relief.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3_fl2.asp?o=42167">Special Report: The Budget 2004</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ target=’_blank’ href="http://www.treasury.gov.za/documents/budget/2004/speech/speech.pdf">Full Budget speech (PDF)</a>
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
South African Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel managed to keep the Budget deficit below 3% and squeeze in personal tax relief of R4-billion in a Budget that contained few surprises. Commentators expected the Budget deficit to exceed 3% of the gross domestic product, due to lower tax receipts and demands for increased social spending.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3_fl2.asp?o=42167">Special Report: The Budget 2004</a>
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
![]()
The African Christian Democratic Party, in response to comments made by President Thabo Mbeki, reiterated on Wednesday that it promotes shared economic growth, not free-market fundamentalism. The ACDP is concerned that limited economic growth since 1994 has not led to jobs and prosperity for all South Africans.
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
Essential oils, organic vegetables and ingredients for trendy desserts are some of the niche items being produced in a project that is breathing life into small-scale farming communities in KwaZulu-Natal. This brings these farmers into agricultural production for high-return niche markets, many of them overseas.
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
Econet Wireless Nigeria (EWN) has informed the Nigerian Federal High Court that its negotiations with Vodacom International to take a controlling interest in the company have been aborted. EWN’s legal adviser said the negotiations on the equity investment with Vodacom International have been aborted as far back as December 19 2003.
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
Opposition parties are calling for tax cuts, but economists warn that Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel is unlikely to deliver these when he unveils the 2004/05 Budget on Wednesday. The minister, they say, is more likely to focus on pro-growth spending to tackle job creation and crime, with tax cuts low on his agenda.
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
Côte d’Ivoire’s oil sector lost 30% in potential revenue in 2003 owing to the political and military crisis that has divided the west African state for 17 months, officials said on Tuesday.
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
Walt Disney said on Tuesday it will buy the Muppets characters, including Kermit, Miss Piggy and others, as well as the Bear in the Big Blue House franchise from The Jim Henson Company. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
No image available
/ 18 February 2004
Just about everything about Nigeria’s mushrooming movie industry is huge, apart from its latest generation of stars; a team of dwarf actors whose small statures belie their towering ambitions.