Two major surprises in the Budget

22 February, 2012 16:18

While many people thought that the 2012 Budget would be a predictable affair Johan van der Walt, a Tax Director at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr believes that two suprises emerged from it that will shock SA citizens, particularly middle income earners. Van der Walt spoke to BusinessLIVE and revealed what the two suprises were. Interview, recording and editing by Michael Bratt.

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Stats SA should 'change its attitude'

" Transnet build must include private sector: Gigaba

Let us hope - no pray - that the regime get it right this time. No tenderpreneurs, no corruption, no fraud and no major over run on the budget. If we can get this one right it will build confidence and trust.'

16 May, 6:46PM

Ben
van Rooyen

" Stats SA should 'change its attitude'

The problem with SSA data is that it relies on questionnaire sheets that has to be sent in by businesses. Usually these needs to be completed while you are under pressure for month-end reporting and you just put any fictitious number on there. Also a problem is that SSA queries any variances from previous months so you keep the numbers in line with previous months to avoid having to answer queries. I have worked for a number of companies where it was done the same way. Reminds me of this quote: “Lies, damn lies and statistics.”'

16 May, 5:24PM

Schalk
Pienaar

" Stats SA should 'change its attitude'

"In this paper we deal with some of the criticisms levelled at us and DataFirst. We also produce some new and more detailed critiques of the Adcorp methods (as we understand them). In particular we show that the Adcorp Employment Index has to be less accurate than the Statistics South Africa employment series for the simple reason that Adcorp actually tries to mimic that series. This runs counter to the many grandiose claims that Adcorp makes for it. The combination of zero detail on what Adcorp does, wildly in‡ated claims about the power and reputability of the techniques and the neglect of statistical measures of accuracy are all hallmarks of non-science." - Abstract from "Science and Nonsense: Further criticism of Adcorp"'

16 May, 5:09PM

Nic
Spaull

" Stats SA should 'change its attitude'

One wonders whether Mr Harris has read the scathing criticisms of ADCORP's methods written by two UCT economists Martin Wittenberg and Andrew Kerr? Both articles are well worth a read before taking ADCORP 'statistics' seriously. (1) http://www.datafirst.uct.ac.za/home/index.php?/Download-document/16-Criticisms-of-the-Adcorp-Employment-Index and (2) http://www.datafirst.uct.ac.za/home/index.php?/Download-document/17-Science-and-Nonsense-Further-Criticisms-of-Adcorp - Is the Statistician General really so far off the mark when the entire academic community disbelieves ADCORP's figures which are based on private models no one has seen, let alone verify?'

16 May, 4:25PM

Nic
Spaull

" CPI, PPI being revised - Manuel

"Manuel...was delivering STATS SA's budget vote speech in Parliament..."

Which begs the question: what is Mnauel actually up to these days? Has he become some sort of a financial jack-of-all-trades in the Presidency? Doing odd jobs in the finance sector for the government? (At least he seems to travel less than the Women, Children and Disabled minister and threfore doesn't run up the same costs to tax payers in business class flights as she does.)

Afterall, now that Manuel's 30-year plan has been worked out and announced and he came out with a remarkedly honest account of his party's failures to govern properly in another report, what is there that remains for Manuel to do in the meanwhile?
A Planning Minister can only do so much planning - expecially if its over the next 30 years when frankly, most South Africans don't even know where their next toilet flush is coming from the next day - let alone in 30 years.

And as for infrastructure creation that is central in SA's long-term plans to boost the economy, create jobs and develop skills, the e-Tolling and SANRAL fiasco has quickly raised questions about the rest of the infrastructure projects that are being planned. So Manuel's grand long-term plans are being overtaken - wiped out perhaps - by real-time events on the ground.

Is that then the reason that this highly paid snr minister in the Presidency is now taking care of STATS SA budget speech in Parliament?
Because IF Manuel is performing some general economy- finance related tasks at present, the ONE long outstanding task that most South Africans will agree has become REALLY LONG OVERDUE, is the finalisation of the Review of the Ministerial Handbook!
Manuel should render assistance to Collins Chabane to thrash out this Review and get it DONE.
Or is the finalistion of the Review being delayed by people like the Women, Children Disabled People minister who says that due to "health reasons" she can't fly "la-la class?" (Her own words in Parliament.) '

16 May, 1:14PM

Louise
Cook

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