For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: PSA advises Ramaphosa to delay signing NHI Bill into law; IEC says no need for Commissioner Love’s resignation; And, Treasury welcomes IMF report ranking SA top 3 in fiscal transparency

PSA advises Ramaphosa to delay signing NHI Bill into law

Given the uncertainty surrounding the political landscape after the May elections, the Public Servants Association has advised President Cyril Ramaphosa to delay the signing of the National Health Insurance Bill.

The NHI Bill was passed by the National Council of Provinces in late 2023, and sent to Ramaphosa to be signed into law.

The PSA said it was extremely concerned about the implications of proposed tax hikes to fund the NHI scheme, pointing out that South Africans are not able to bear such a financial burden, particularly during the current economic climate.

The PSA said government's plan to increase value-added tax and income tax to offset the NHI deficit is alarming, and is urging government to instead address fiscal inefficiencies, including fruitless expenditure and corruption.

The PSA said the funding model presented by the Department of Health lacks sustainability, saying it disproportionately burdens the poor who are already struggling to make ends meet with a high cost of living, constant increases in petrol prices, and high interest rates.

IEC says no need for Commissioner Love’s resignation

Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa CEO Sy Mamabolo said today that there is no basis for IEC Commissioner Janet Love to step down from her position, as there is no substantive evidence establishing misconduct on her side.

Mamabolo was giving a media briefing on the key aspects of the election timetable.

Last week, former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party called for Love’s immediate resignation, warning that should she fail to resign in seven days, the party would pursue “all available avenues”  to remove her, including approaching the courts.

Mamabolo said the commission wants clarity in its case, in which the recent Electoral Court judgment saw Zuma win his appeal against the IEC’s decision to exclude him from being able to stand as an MK Party parliamentary candidate.

The IEC has approached the Constitutional Court to appeal the Electoral Court’s judgment on this matter.

And, Treasury welcomes IMF report ranking SA top 3 in fiscal transparency

The International Monetary Fund’s Fiscal Transparency Evaluation Report has placed South Africa in the top three countries in terms of transparent fiscal practices, which National Treasury has welcomed.

In July 2023, the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department undertook a Fiscal Transparency Evaluation, at the request of National Treasury. Interviews were conducted with Treasury senior staff, government ministries, parliamentary committees, the Reserve Bank, civil society organisations, development partners, and Eskom.

Treasury noted the need to improve in specific areas and said work in these was in progress.

The IMF suggested that South Africa could improve its fiscal reporting by including other spheres of the public sector, strengthening tax expenditure disclosure, and improving adherence to audit timelines for published financial statements, all of which will align with international best practices.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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