Govt looking at expanding VAT exempt items
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government is taking steps to ease the burden of the high cost of living on South Africans.
Speaking in the National Council of Province on Thursday afternoon, he said they were particularly trying to get a handle on food inflation.
"Among the measures to ensure that all South Africans have affordable access to sufficient food, government is looking at whether the basket of food items that is exempted from VAT could be expanded to include more basic products.
"Another important area is the expansion of the country’s agricultural output.
"This requires more effective land redistribution and the provision of the support needed by beneficiaries to work the land."
The president also provided an update on the matter of spaza shops across the country.
He said nearly 200,000 have been visited by health inspectors and other officials - with over 1,000 spazas shut down nationwide.
