National Treasury has noted media reports that Cabinet has expanded the mandate of the Independent Panel of Experts appointed to review the current list of zero-rated items to include the impact of fuel hikes. This is not true.

The statement on the Cabinet meeting of 4 July 2018 (see point 5 on the media statement) http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/cabinet-statements/statement-cabinet-mee..., makes no such reference. It merely assures South Africans that government is making an effort to alleviate the challenges faced by poor communities. In that context, it quotes the appointment by National Treasury of the independent panel of experts to review the list of zero-rated items as an example of the measures aimed at alleviating the challenges faced by poor communities.

The mandate of the panel has not been expanded to include the impact of fuel hikes

Issued by National Treasury