Business, labour fight sugar reform

22 June 2017

The tax on sugary drinks, now termed a health promotion levy, has unusually united business and trade unions.

Union federation Cosatu and Business Unity South Africa (Busa) recently made presentations to Parliament’s standing committee on finance to hit the pause button on the tax to allow more research into its economic effect.

The treasury said this week it did not anticipate there would be “major or new changes” from what was already in draft legislation. The parliamentary process is ongoing, it said, and the levy will only come into effect once this is complete.

Source: Mail & Guardian