How taxes are killing South Africa’s economy

Loading player...
With value-added tax (VAT) hikes, rising income tax burdens, and thousands of non-compliant taxpayers, has South Africa’s economy reached its tax tipping point?

In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, Citywire South Africa and Keith Engel, CEO of the South African Institute of Taxation, break down the true impact of government tax policies. We explore whether the country is pushing past the top of the Laffer Curve, how tax complexity is strangling businesses, and the economy, and why endless hikes might do more harm than good.

Is the government collecting enough—or just wasting more? Engel exposes tax loopholes, compliance failures, and the risks of squeezing businesses too hard. With practical solutions and bold insights, this episode uncovers what needs to change in South Africa’s tax system before it’s too late.
14 Mar English South Africa Investing

Other recent episodes

Retiring in Africa: Cross-border lessons on building inclusive pension systems

In this special Money, Markets, and Masterminds roundtable, we take retirement planning beyond South Africa’s borders. Host Ruan Jooste is joined by Mtho Ncube, wealth manager and employee benefits consultant at GTC in Johannesburg; LeRoy Otenyo, employee and retirement benefits consultant at Zamara Group in Kenya; and Edmond Ade, certified…
14 Aug 46 min

How South Africa can fast-track growth

In the latest Money, Markets, and Masterminds Long Game episode, economist and investment strategist Adrian Saville shares an evidence-based blueprint for transforming South Africa’s economy. Drawing on six decades of global data, he argues that high savings and investment rates, greater economic openness, and targeted sector development could halve unemployment…
13 Aug 22 min

Mind Over Markets: Is the tide turning for US dominance?

Emerging markets are making waves — and South Africa is riding high. In the latest Money, Markets, and Masterminds podcast, Citywire South Africa editor Ruan Jooste is joined by Sean Neethling, Head of Investments at Morningstar South Africa, to unpack why the MSCI EM Index is booming, how global capital…
4 Aug 20 min

What does it really cost to deliver financial advice?

In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, Citywire South Africa editor Ruan Jooste is joined by Theoniel McDonald, Head of Financial Planning at Carmel Wealth, senior adviser at Wealth Associates, and a director at the Financial Intermediaries Association. McDonald recently spent eight months building a full cost-to-service model for…
25 Jul 15 min

When doing nothing is the smartest move

In a market obsessed with momentum and noise, standing still can feel like failure. But what if that’s the smartest move? In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, investment strategist and GIBS professor Adrian Saville returns to unpack the behavioural traps investors fall into, the global macro shifts reshaping…
21 Jul 23 min