Pensioners are the only budget winners

The Finance Minister’s budget speech has been on the forefront of national news this past week and while the analysts and financial reporters dig in and get the gritty details out, very few publications actually tell the average Joe Public what he (or she) wants to hear, which is how they will be affected by the new budget.

While there are some positives, the fact is that pensioners are the only real winners this year with tax-exempt lump sum pension payouts being increased from R315 000 the last three years, to R500 000.

Personal tax relief will see people earning less than R250 000 per annum pay a little bit less, but not so much that anyone would want to get excited about it.

As always, the so-called sin taxes makes sure that enjoying yourself and getting to work in the morning will cost you a whole lot more.

The price of cigarettes has risen with a whopping 68 cents, which should get more than a few smokers seriously rethinking their habit.

A bottle of whiskey now costs R4.80 more while a beer now also costs 9 cents more.

The price of petrol, which has already had many a motorist hot under the collar this year, will once again go up, this time with a whopping 20 cents per litre, effective on 2 April.

No wonder scooters are becoming so popular.