For the taxpayer-man-in-the-street, the most relevant of these are:

• The threshold below which no income tax is levied for people under the age of 65 is raised to R54 200 and for people over the age of 65, raised to R84 200;
• Fuel levies will increase on 1 April 2009.  Petrol will increase with 23 cents and diesel with 24 cents per litre;
• The VAT registration threshold will increase from the current amount of R300 000 level to R1 million;
• It is furthermore proposed that the current SITE (Standard Income Tax on Employees) system be discontinued by 2010;
• Old age (and there are steps afoot to increase the age for eligibility for these to 60), disability and care dependency grants rise to R1010 per month and foster care is increased to R240 per month;
• Child support is increased to R240 (and government is also considering to increase the age until which a child is eligible to age 18);
• The so-called ‘sin taxes’ have been increased. Duty on cigarettes is up 13% and wine, beer & whiskey will cost more in the new tax year;
• There was no change in the Estate Duty exemption limit and this remains at R3.5 million;
• The annual exemption for Donations Tax remains unchanged at R100 000 per annum; and
• Transfer duty rates remain unchanged from 2008.

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