Chairperson, the Minister of Finance was widely complimented subsequent to his Budget Speech in February this year and we as the DA, through my colleague hon Davidson in his response, expressed our support for the Budget Review and its content as conveyed by the Minister. We as the DA, have been part and parcel of the follow-up process where the Portfolio Committee on Finance has listened to submissions by industry and affected role-players and where we have interrogated not only the evidence submitted to us but we have also had interaction sessions with the representatives from National Treasury, Sars and others.
Voorsitter, die uitdaging vir ons as die komitee was dus grootliks om te verseker dat uiting gegee moet word aan die ondernemings en die beloftes van die Minister. Dit is nou veral waar dit nie net gehandel het oor net die wel en we van die meerderheid van ons gemeenskappe nie, maar ook waar dit struktuur en steun moet gee aan die besigheidsektor om te verseker dat die makro-ekonomiese doelwitte onverpoos nagestreef word. Daar is verskeie regulasies, administratiewe en tegniese aspekte wat moet verseker dat die oogmerk met die relevante wetgewing uitgeleef en georganiseer, gestruktureer en korrek toegepas word.
Dit is nodig dat verskeie wysigings aan bestaande wette betreffende belasting gemaak moet word, sodat die voorstelle vervat in die Minister se Begrotingsrede bemagtig word en verseker word dat dit korrek verstaan en gemplementeer word. Die sigbare en tasbare effek vir die belastingbetaler sal sekerlik nie net die belastingverligting en-konsessies wees wat aangekondig is nie, maar ook die welkome verkorte en vereenvoudigde belastingopgawevorms vir individue.
Van die belangrikste aankondigings wat in hierdie wetsontwerp vervat is, is beslis die hantering van die belasting op aftreefondse. Dit handel bepaald oor die deurlopende belasbaarheid van pensioenfondse, al dan nie, asook spesifiek waar enkelbedrae aan begunstigdes van pensioenfondse by aftrede of dood uitbetaal word. Ander relevante sake wat aangeraak word, sluit die volgende in: ter voorbereiding van die Sokkerwreldbekertoernooi in 2010 is sekere konsessies nodig om te verseker dat die beste Sokkerwreldbekertoernooi ooit nog aangebied kan word.
Ons ondersteun ook die Minister se aankondiging van die verlenging van die amnestietydperk vir die kleinsakesektor tot 30 Junie en dit is nodig dat wetgewing steunkrag daaraan moet verleen.
Dit sal die praktiese probleme van die kleinsakesektor aanspreek en sodoende hierdie sektor meer positief laat om vrywillig belastingopgawes in te dien. Goedgestruktureerde oorgangsmaatrels is ook nodig om te verseker dat die voorgestelde implementeringstelsel vir die heffings en vrystellings daarvan op die uitvoer van diamante verleng word van 1 Julie 2007 af, om sodoende saam te val met die wysigings aan die Wet op Diamante. Eerstens moet die heffings op diamantuitvoere geskei word van ander regulasies om te verseker dat die hantering van die heffingsbeleid realisties en geordend toegepas sal kan word.
Die wetsontwerp gee ook aandag aan die in- en uitvoer van goedere en die algemene oorgrens-handel en die korrekte betaling van aksyns en ander relevante belastings aan die staat. Sars en Doeane en Aksyns moet vooraf die versekering kry oor die inhoud van houers via dokumentasie, maar ter plaatse inspeksies moet as 'n verdere voorvereiste gestel word om hieraan stukrag te gee.
Die DA was nog altyd ten gunste van maatrels, nie net om die bereiking van die makro-ekonomiese doelwitte na te streef nie, maar ook ten gunste van 'n stelsel wat dit makliker en meer bekostigbaar maak vir Jan Burger om vrywillig belastingsopgawes te voltooi. Net so is ons ten gunste daarvan om meer entrepreneurs en lede van die kleinsakesektor binne die belastingnet in te trek, asook om ondersteunend op te tree teenoor die groter Suid- Afrikaanse sakesektor, die grootste verskaffer van werk en welvaart in Suid- Afrika en die grootste katalisators vir die groei van ons ekonomie en ons waardevolle demokrasie.
Hoewel belastingwetgewings van tyd tot tyd aangepas moet word om nuwe en moderne veranderings en uitdagings binne die globale markte aan te spreek, moet ons nooit die waarde vergeet wat die sakesektor vir ons inhou nie. Ons moet hulle nooit afskeep nie en moet hulle as vennote van die staat behou. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, the challenge we as the committee were faced with, was therefore largely to ensure that expression be given to the undertakings and promises by the Minister. This would apply particularly where it did not only involve the fate of the majority of our communities, but also where it has to lend structure and give support to the business sector to make sure that the macroeconomic objectives would be pursued without fail. There are several regulations, administrative and technical aspects that should ensure that the objective is realised, organised, structured and correctly applied through the relevant legislation.
It is necessary for several amendments to be made to existing laws regarding taxation, so that the proposals contained in the Minister's Budget Speech can be ratified; thereby ensuring that they are understood and implemented correctly. The visible and tangible effect this has for the taxpayer will certainly not only include the tax relief and concessions that were announced, but also the welcome, abridged and simplified individual tax return form.
Among the most important announcements contained in this Bill, is definitely how it is dealing with tax on retirement funds. It deals, in particular, with whether or not pension funds should be continuously taxable, specifically covering the area where a lump sum payment is made to beneficiaries of pension funds at retirement or death. Other relevant matters that were touched upon include that, in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, certain concessions are necessary to ensure that the best ever Soccer World Cup can be staged.
We also support the Minister's announcement of extending the amnesty period for the small business sector to 30 June and it is essential that legislation provides support to this effect.
This will address the practical problems of the small business sector and in that way create a more positive climate for this sector to freely submit tax returns. Well-structured transition measures are also necessary to ensure that the proposed system for the implementation of levies and exemptions thereof on the export of diamonds be extended as from 1 July 2007 so that it could coincide with the amendments to the Diamond Act. In the first instance, the levies on diamond exports should be separated from other regulations to ensure that the policy on levies is applied in a realistic and structured manner.
The Bill also addresses the import and export of goods, general cross- border trade, the correct payment of excise duty and other relevant duties to the state. The content of containers should be declared beforehand in the form of documentation to Sars and Customs and Excise, but in loco inspections should be set as a further prerequisite to provide the necessary driving force.
The DA has always been in favour of measures, not only to pursue the attainment of the macroeconomic objectives, but it also favours a system that makes it easier and more affordable for John Citizen to complete tax returns voluntarily. Likewise, we are in favour of drawing more entrepreneurs and members of the small business sector into the tax net, as well as being supportive towards the South African business sector at large, which is the biggest provider of jobs and prosperity in South Africa and the most important catalyst for our economic growth and our precious democracy.
Although tax legislation has to be amended from time to time to accommodate new and modern changes and challenges within the global market, we should never forget the value that the business sector holds for us. We should never disregard them, and should retain them as partners of the state.]
Please allow me to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to both the National Treasury and Sars for the open and co-operative manner in which we have dealt with all the challenging issues. I am confident that the table has been set for more proactive and growth-enabling interaction between the Portfolio Committee on Finance, the Ministry of Finance and the mentioned institutions.
Also to the members of the Portfolio Committee on Finance and our chairperson specifically, I want to show my appreciation for the stimulating and co-operative spirit in which we deliberate issues and accept the credibility and value of the input of each member. Minister and Deputy Minister, you are certainly privileged to be supported not only by outstanding staff in Treasury and Sars, but most certainly also by the quality of the members of this committee. The DA supports these Bills. I thank you. [Applause.]