TIM COHEN: Zille responding to heavy tax burden on electorate and a de facto revolt
It’s a lot more complicated than the political argument that has taken place so far
One of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s best-known quotes is: “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money”. I can’t help reflecting on this statement when wrestling with former DA leader Helen Zille’s tax revolt argument. I should clarify that as things stand I think in principle it’s a bad idea. But I also think it’s a lot more complicated than the political argument that has taken place on the topic until now suggests. It’s worth straightening the record a bit because one thing I know about basically all commentary concerning Zille is that it’s flagrantly inaccurate because commentators like to use Zille as a virtue-signalling process, which often requires a distortion of the facts to make their virtues seem more virtuous. Zille’s argument was, from the start, not that South Africans should now begin a tax revolt but that if there are no prosecutions from the grotesque corruption what we have learnt about from the state captu...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.