Cosatu is now reported as wanting a national minimum wage rather than sectoral minimum wages - currently clothing workers have one set for their industry, domestic workers have one set for theirs, and so on. It seems the Cosatu call has "flummoxed" the experts, who reckon a national minimum wage would boost unemployment levels. Any chance Cosatu will listen to the experts?

There's news - good or bad, depending on your viewpoint - for taxpayers... the new Tax Administration Bill has "substantially supplemented" the department's powers to gather information on you, your company, etc. Critics however, say the sweeping powers are open to abuse.

So how many schoolchildren still do not have the books - that they should have had six months ago? The department of Basic Education - and it seems to be getting more and more basic as time passes - says that most textbooks have been delivered in Limpopo. By today, they should now have been all delivered, but that's no reason to celebrate - how have the affected schoolchildren been taught, and learned up to now? No wonder demand for private schooling is soaring.

Will it fly, won't it fly... Zuma's new jet, that is... However, there shouldn't even be such a question; the current presidential plane SA1, or whatever it's called, is in perfect condition and there are better things on which to spend R2bn - like schoolbooks, houses for the poor, hospital upgrades, new hospitals... That sort of thing. Just a thought...

Rod Baker, content director

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