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/ 18 February 2004
The Bagle.B Internet worm on Wednesday continued to propagate itself throughout the world, with experts ranking the virus as the third most dangerous computer bug to date after the notorious Sobig.F and Mydoom.A. ”It will probably not reach the same catastrophic proportions as Mydoom.A and Sobig.F,” an expert said.
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/ 18 February 2004
Initial reaction to Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel’s annual Budget speech has been favourable. Manuel had some good news for taxpayers on Wednesday in his 2004/05 Budget, although the R4-billion in personal-income tax relief did not match the whopping R13,3-billion he dished out in 2003/04.
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/ 18 February 2004
The South African government says that the annual average increase in spending on the land restitution programme between 2000/01 and 2006/07 is 31,5%, according to the estimates of national expenditure. The estimates, released on Budget day, February 18, showed that total expenditure had increased to R1,7-billion.
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/ 18 February 2004
The death toll from Asia’s bird flu crisis rose to 21 on Wednesday, with confirmation that a four-year-old Thai boy had died of the virus, which has staged new outbreaks in several countries. As more cases broke out in Thailand, China and Japan this week, the United Nations warned Asia’s bird flu crisis was far from over.
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/ 18 February 2004
The government has allocated R2,1-billion over a three-year period for the "comprehensive" response to HIV/Aids, including provision for anti-retroviral treatment programmes by provinces through a conditional grant, according to the Budget released by Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel on Wednesday.
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/ 18 February 2004
The government has budgeted R1,1-billion over the next three years for the Department of Defence to continue peacekeeping operations in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, said Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel in his Budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday.
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/ 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.
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/ 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>
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/ 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>
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/ 18 February 2004
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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.