Comments on: Department of Basic Education Official: "A Library in Every Township School Unatttainable because of History" — Equal Education Responds http://writingrights.org/2009/12/19/department-of-basic-education-official-a-library-in-every-township-school-unatttainable-because-of-history-equal-education-responds/ Centre for Law and Social Justice Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:32:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Terry Bell http://writingrights.org/2009/12/19/department-of-basic-education-official-a-library-in-every-township-school-unatttainable-because-of-history-equal-education-responds/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Terry Bell Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:13:44 +0000 http://www.writingrights.org/2009/12/19/department-of-basic-education-official-a-library-in-every-township-school-unatttainable-because-of-history-equal-education-responds/#comment-8 The importance of libraries is critical. However, we should also not forget the price of books — and the fact that the government still charges 14 per cent VAT (value added tax) on all locally published books and an additional 1.5 per cent "upliftment" charge on all imported material. A minimum of R14 tax on each R100 spent to provide books is iniquitous. We should campaign for the abolition of a tax on knowledge and for decent libraries in every school and community. The importance of libraries is critical. However, we should also not forget the price of books — and the fact that the government still charges 14 per cent VAT (value added tax) on all locally published books and an additional 1.5 per cent “upliftment” charge on all imported material. A minimum of R14 tax on each R100 spent to provide books is iniquitous.

We should campaign for the abolition of a tax on knowledge and for decent libraries in every school and community.

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