Govt to Announce Support Package for Farmers Hit by Avian Flu
The South African government is working on a support package for farmers impacted by the avian flu outbreak, reports EWN. Deputy President Paul Mashatile said the government had taken note of the appeal from the South African Poultry Association that not only small-scale farmers be assisted. He was answering questions in the National Council of Provinces on Thursday. Millions of chickens have been culled since the outbreak in April of two strains of the influenza virus that has also affected the production of eggs. The package will include financial assistance to help farmers revamp and ramp up production once again. The government is also working to fast-track the registration of vaccines for the virus. The support package will benefit both small-scale and large-scale farmers.
Zuma's New Bid to Oust Prosecutor Could Spark 'Festival of Delay'
The National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) counsel has warned that former president Jacob Zuma will unleash a "festival of Stalingrad delay" if he succeeds in forcing the removal of state advocate Billy Downer, reports News24. Zuma's attempt to remove Downer is based on a private prosecution against him and a writer for alleged violations of the NPA Act, which courts have ruled as an abuse of process. Zuma's removal of Downer could spark a "Stalingrad festival" of endless legal challenges to replacement prosecutors, warns advocate Geoff Budlender. Zuma claims that his private prosecution remains valid while challenging these rulings. The former president has been on trial for arms deal-related fraud, corruption, and racketeering.
Tax Revenue Service Apologises for Threatening SMS to Taxpayers
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) faced backlash for sending threatening SMS messages to taxpayers about outstanding returns, reports TimesLIVE. Taxpayers took to social media to express their concerns about the intimidating language used. In response, SARS issued an apology, stating that the SMS service had been suspended. They acknowledged that the messages did not meet their professional standards and expressed regret for any frustration and inconvenience caused to honest taxpayers. SARS clarified that the messages were intended as reminders to fulfil tax filing obligations and that they do not immediately initiate legal action but engage with taxpayers before taking such steps.
