Vernon Pillay

Digital Journalist, IOL Business

VAT increase: Which grocery items are exempt from VAT in South Africa?

Vernon Pillay|Published

Understand how the VAT increase affects your grocery shopping and discover which essential items remain exempt.

Budget 2025: Social grants secured, R35. 2 billion for SRD grants set aside

Vernon Pillay|Published

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana reveals significant increases in social grants for 2025/26, including adjustments to old age, disability, and child support grants, ...

Budget 2025: Minister Enoch Godongwana proposes incremental VAT increase over two years

Vernon Pillay|Published

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana reveals plans for VAT increases and essential support measures for low-income households in the 2025 Budget Speech.

Budget 2025: Increased sin taxes on vaping, smoking and drinking

Vernon Pillay|Published

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana unveils plans for increased taxation on tobacco and alcohol products in the 2025 Budget, including public consultations on a new ...

Budget Speech 2025: Finance Minister expected to insist on VAT increase

Vernon Pillay|Published

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's upcoming Budget speech is expected to propose a VAT increase, sparking opposition from various political parties amid concerns ...

South Africa unveils innovative business visa system to attract foreign investment

Vernon Pillay|Published

South Africa's new digital platform for business visa applications aims to enhance efficiency and transparency for foreign investors.

Uber Eats 2024 report: SA's surprising food habits revealed

Vernon Pillay|Published

From a R20,000 cognac order to 2,378 deliveries by a single customer, Uber Eats' 2024 Cravings Report unveils extraordinary South African food ordering trends.

Eskom suspends load shedding as emergency reserves recover

Vernon Pillay|Published

Eskom announced on Sunday morning that load shedding had been suspended as of 6am due to the recovery of sufficient emergency reserves.

Small town, big earnings: Northern Cape municipality tops country’s taxable income rankings

Vernon Pillay|Published

The average South African may not have heard of the Gamagara Local Municipality in the Northern Cape, but it has secured a notable claim to fame: the highest average ...

Eskom to add more power to electricity grid

Vernon Pillay|Published

The state utility Eskom said that South Africa has now reached more than 250 days without implementing load shedding and has saved almost R17 billion in diesel costs ...

S&P Global gives South Africa a boost with good news for Eskom

Vernon Pillay|Published

Eskom said that it welcomed the upgrade of the entity’s ‘B’ long-term global scale foreign and local currency ratings.

Zimbabwe will pay white former farmers almost R6 billion as it tries to get access to international funds

Vernon Pillay|Published

According to the African Development Bank, as of August 2024, Zimbabwe's total public debt was estimated at about R380 billion.

Eskom’s huge tariff increase will be a death blow to struggling municipalities

Vernon Pillay|Published

The minister said that Eskom needs to focus on improving its operational capacity, and it should not be allowed to make the public pay for its inefficiencies.

Sars writes-off R36 billion in taxpayer debt

Vernon Pillay|Published

This may come as a shock to many taxpayers, especially those who have felt the wrath of Sars over non-compliance.

This is what Airbnb property owners could face as new restrictions come into effect

Vernon Pillay|Published

The South African government has unveiled intentions to regulate short-term rental platforms, including Airbnb, to strike a balance between tourism, housing, and ...

This is how you can update your prepaid electricity meter before the November 24 deadline

Vernon Pillay|Published

All prepaid meters are required by the Standard Transfer Specification Association (STSA) to be updated.

This is how much government departments owe the SABC and Ramaphosa wants them to pay up now

Vernon Pillay|Published

It is estimated that National and provincial governments and municipalities owe the SABC almost R35 million in unpaid TV licence fees.

Your ID or passport could be delivered to you, but at a price

Vernon Pillay|Published

Home Affairs is on a journey of revitalising its department and introducing new options for South Africans.

Edward Kieswetter earns 36 times more than the average South African

Vernon Pillay|Published

Kieswetter remuneration is almost three times that of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Calls for government to shut down 10111 and other emergency hotlines

Vernon Pillay|Published

The department said that only one emergency number should remain in SA and that is 112.

Fire at Kriel will have no impact on load shedding - Eskom

Vernon Pillay|Published

A broken oil pipe led to the major blaze at Kriel Power Station on Sunday evening.

Eskom has saved almost R14 billion on diesel costs

Vernon Pillay|Published

Eskom noted that investments in the Generation Recovery Plan have been instrumental in maintaining a stable power supply across South Africa.

BRICS Summit: ‘We see Russia as a valued ally’, Ramaphosa tells Putin

Vernon Pillay|Published

On Tuesday, President Ramaphosa held a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Residence in Kazan.

SAA is debt-free! But is in dire need of a cash injection

Vernon Pillay|Published

Another State Owned Entity can report good news as SAA reveals that it is debt-free, but is in need of an equity partner or loan facility.

Flying on empty: Sars addresses jet fuel controversy

Vernon Pillay|Published

After a week of negative stories that Sars was dithering over its responsibility, the revenue service came out and addressed the kerosene shortage.