LETTER: Tax Freedom Day and a government with total say

On Tuesday, May 19, South Africans stopped working for the state and started working for themselves. That day was Tax Freedom Day and this year it fell one day later than last year. At least that would have been the case if we weren’t subject to Covid-19 and its lockdown. Tax rates will be lower because profits are being squeezed more than anything else.

To put this into greater perspective, back in 1994 it took 101 days to pay for the government before South Africans could start earning for themselves. It now takes 139 days — more than five weeks longer — and the state has helped itself to more than half of the economic growth since 1994...