Non-government organisation the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) has called on Finance minister Tito Mboweni to double South Africa’s health promotion levy in his budget next week.

With the South African Revenue Service (SARS) seeking to increase its revenue base, organisations with misconceptions about how certain payroll elements should be taxed, may unknowingly be exposing themselves financially.

The National Consumer Commission’s warning comes amid investigations in to seven leading retail stores in the country, accused of price gouging on ginger and garlic.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has published a new gazette which provides further details around South Africa’s relaxed level 3 lockdown and the changes to some restrictions.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says that his government will look at the introduction of new regulations around the sale of alcohol in South Africa, but he may already have ready-made legislation waiting in the wings.

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB), Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) and the Banking Association South Africa (BASA) have jointly agreed that that the issuing and the acceptance/collection of cheques will cease from 31 December 2020.

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has recommended that government look at further regulations around the sale of alcohol in South Africa in response to its high levels of gender-based violence.

To help combat the ’’war raging in our communities, especially against our women and children’’, Western Cape Premier intends to make it more expensive to buy booze with a high alcohol percentage.

Grocery retailer Shoprite Checkers will no longer be able to enforce exclusivity clauses on lease agreements against small and independent retailers.