A leading civil society organisation on Wednesday joined the ranks of those opposed to an increase in VAT, saying the move would hurt vulnerable households, reduce spending power and throttle the already weak economy.

“The VAT increase will actually hurt vulnerable households and the general economy. It will leave less money available in the pockets of South Africans. Consumption will decline, and with that revenue collection too,” Mervyn Abrahams, programme co-ordinator of the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group, told Business Day. ..

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