CIVIC GROUPS WANT FINANCE BILL OF 2018 THROWN OUT OF PARLY

EZULWINI - Civic society organisations have spoken in unison that the Finance Bill of 2018 should be thrown out of Parliament.
The organisations which represent various groups in society, said the Bill should not be discussed in Parliament but should be withdrawn and sent back to its line ministry to be redrafted as it is an affront to the poor.

The civic groups met yesterday at Sibane Hotel at a consultative dialogue to discuss the Finance Bill, 2018
The groups that were present included the Federation of Swaziland Employers and Chamber of Commerce (FSE&CC), Council of Swaziland Churches, Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA), Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO) and the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP).

Council of Swaziland Churches Human Rights and Advocacy Officer Vusi Kunene said the overtaxing of the poor and humiliating them against the rich was not God’s purpose for mankind.

poorer

Kunene said the poor were over taxed and as a result, they got poorer which was against the dictates of the Holy Scripture.
“Why is it that the taxes or user fees which the government charge mostly affect the poor, does this not make the poor who are part of  the ‘body’ even poorer instead of lifting them up?”  he questioned.

Kunene said the taxes, duties, levies, tolls and fees being proposed by the Bill were going to cripple the poor.
“I have to reiterate that the plea to those in power is not that people should not be made to pay taxes or service fees but it is the overtaxing which is the problem. The overtaxing occurs even when the poor have no resources to pay the taxes and levies,” he said.
The HR and advocacy officer said the scriptures stated that even Jesus paid taxes when called upon to pay, however, he paid within his reach.

FSE&CC Business Support Coordinator Musa Maseko said as the voice of businesses, they believed the Bill was just not good for the country in general but for the poor in particular.
“The Bill in its current form is lacking in some areas and as a result we believe it should be withdrawn and sent to be redrafted,” Maseko said.

He said a large number of people would be affected by this Bill, especially small businesses and entrepreneurs.
struggle
“Our analysis of the company and trading licences and fees being proposed reveals that small businesses will struggle to maintain their businesses as a result of the trading licence fees they have to pay,” he said.

The civic groups concurred with a consultant from international nongovernmental organisation Oxfam, Thembinkosi Dlamini.
Dlamini said it was very clear that should the Bill be passed into law, it would adversely affect the poor and the vulnerable in the country the most.

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