Pretoria, Feb 22 - National Health Insurance (NHI) will be phased in over a 14-year period beginning in 2012/13, the National Treasury said on Wednesday.

Pretoria, Feb 22 - As flagged by the Treasury in last year's Budget, major changes to the taxation of retirement contributions are being implemented, but only from March 1, 2014 and not from March this year as was stated in last year's Budget.

Pretoria, Feb 22 - Motorists beware, driving is going to cost at least 28 cents a litre more from April 4, thanks to a rise of 20 cents a litre in the fuel levy on petrol and diesel and an increase of eight cents a litre in the Road Accident Fund levy.

Pretoria, Feb 22 - Anyone trying to dodge taxes, watch out, SARS is on a concerted drive to nab you and the penalties will be harsh.

Pretoria, Feb 22 - Following public consultation, the National Treasury has revised its concept design for a carbon tax with a draft policy paper due for publication and comment during 2012 and implementation planned for 2013/14.

Pretoria, Feb 22 - Taxpayers will be pleased to know that one of the tax administration measures being introduced this year is the establishment of a dedicated Tax Ombud.

Pretoria, Feb 22 (I-Net Bridge) - In a comprehensive overview of the existing capital gains tax environment, the National Treasury has announced some sweeping amendments to tax-free exemptions, but it has also increased capital gains tax rates for the first time since this form of tax was introduced in South Africa.

Johannesburg, Feb 22 - The about-turn by the Treasury in upping the April dividend tax to 15% from 10% is likely to irk foreign investors, according to a tax analyst on Wednesday.

Cape Town, Feb 22 (I-Net Bridge) - The government will provide the SA National Roads Authority (SANRAL) with R5.8 billion to reduce its debt, so that the toll fees on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project highways could be reduced to 30c/km for light vehicles from the original envisaged 66c/km, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Wednesday.

Cape Town Feb 22 (I-Net Bridge) - South Africa's budget deficit is projected to narrow from 4.8% of GDP in the current fiscal year to 3.0% by 2014/15, reflecting a strong recovery in revenue and moderate growth in spending.

The People's Budget Campaign is calling for a budget that is first and foremost pro-poor and supports fundamental changes to the structure of the economy, it said on Wednesday, just hours before Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was set to deliver his Budget Vote Speech.

There won't be any big surprises contained in this year's National Budget, Johann Els, senior economist at Old Mutual Investment Group SA says.

Tight tax revenue collections may lead to additional taxes in order to increase revenues in the coming years, says Susann Louw, a partner at leading professional services firm Deloitte.

THE R150-million invested by FNB in the construction of its state of the art new building in Newton Park was ring-fenced for Eastern Cape service providers. That was one of the key messages communicated at yesterday’s (February 22 2012) launch of the Newton Street building, which will house 16 FNB business units and 350 staff.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s agreeable manner was just what South African President Jacob Zuma needed to keep the peace between warring factions of the ruling ANC, but his affability may ultimately cost Africa’s biggest economy dear.

NELSON Mandela Bay traffic wardens have threatened to go on strike today – because they are not happy with their new uniforms.

WHILE schools in the Eastern Cape struggle with temporary teachers not having returned to work yet, a group of dedicated Nelson Mandela Bay educators have made their way back to classrooms for no pay – despite not being officially reinstated.

A HIGH-PROFILE suspected northern areas gangster is fighting for his life after being shot four times in the chest in a rival attack that authorities fear will spark chaos in Port Elizabeth’s gang-ridden Helenvale community.

PREMIER Noxolo Kiviet’s government and relevant stakeholders are investigating the feasibility of buying a ship to transport goods between East London, Durban, Port Elizabeth and the Port of Ngqurha.

JEFFREYS Bay residents are so fed up with the quality of the town’s water that they have now taken their plight to President Jacob Zuma, hoping he will at least attempt to bring the Kouga Municipality to book.

Lucas Netshiavha feels resentful whenever he sees the slice of his salary taken by South Africa’s taxman, since - so he believes - a large chunk will end up in the pockets of corrupt politicians or be washed down the drain of state mismanagement.

A SHADOWY group of guerilla gardeners is set to strike this week under the cover of darkness, somewhere in Nelson Mandela Bay. The Secret Sowers, a national group with its roots in the bay, will this time be targeting a school, the co-founder, known only as Capt Sanjeev, told The Herald yesterday (Feb 20, 2012).

The effort to clean-up after cyanide spilled into the raw water supply of towns in northern KwaZulu-Natal has been completed, Karbochem said on Tuesday (21/02/2012).

The drinking water in Carolina, Mpumalanga, was still contaminated by acid mine water seepage, the water affairs department said on Tuesday (21/02/2012).

SAN FRANCISCO - Revelations last week that Google Inc, Twitter and other popular Internet companies have been taking liberties with customer data have prompted criticism from privacy advocates and lawmakers, along with apologies from the companies.

The trial of six youths accused of setting two girls alight in an alleged satanic ritual was postponed by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (21/02/2012).

Five Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) employees have been fired for luggage theft at OR Tambo airport in the past week, it was reported on Tuesday. (21/02/2012)

A PORT Elizabeth businessman has described his anguish at being accused by police of being the prime suspect in his fiancée’s murder shortly after finding her fatally stabbed and desperately trying to resuscitate her.

EASTERN Cape police are on the hunt for Mandla Mandela, who they claim is evading arrest. A warrant was reportedly issued for his arrest last Friday after the former Mvezo chief failed to appear in court on charges of bigamy.

THE mercury hit sweltering levels in many parts of the Eastern Cape yesterday, with the weather bureau calling for schools to cancel sport and for the “elderly and infirm to stay indoors, near a fan”.

ZOMBIE fever gripped Grahamstown yesterday as hundreds of paranoid Rhodes University students fought running campus battles with the living dead.

A 37-year-old woman with elephantiasis has laid a complaint against the Livingstone hospital in Port Elizabeth after she was turned away without treatment, the Eastern Cape health department said on Monday (20/02/2012).

PROJECT Mthombo, PetroSA’s multibillion-rand oil refinery which is expected to massively boost the Eastern Cape’s economy and create thousands of jobs, will move a step closer to reality next month when the government is expected to announce another milestone in the project.

MANDLA Mandela has 15 days to declare to the high court whether he sold the television rights to the funeral of his grandfather, former president Nelson Mandela.

LOCAL Government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane says Eastern Cape municipalities are battling to attract and retain skilled professionals who have the know-how and experience to turn local government around and fast-track service delivery.

THE Correctional Matters Amendment Act, which comes into effect next month, will strip correctional supervision and parole boards of their discretion in the granting of medical parole.

THE South African government is investigating the danger posed by a crop pesticide following a landmark ruling in France where agri-business giant Monsanto was found guilty of chemical poisoning of a farmer.Since the incident which led to the poisoning, the Monsanto pesticide, called Lasso, has been banned in France, and a number of other countries.

President Jacob Zuma’s remarks about corruption show he is “completely disconnected from reality”, the Democratic Alliance said on Friday (17/02/2012).