Manuel thanks taxpayers

Cape Town - Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, referring to a tip from his Tips for Trevor campaign, expressed his heartfelt thanks to taxpayers on Wednesday for their contribution to the state coffers.

A taxpayer, AS Smit, posted his tip in Afrikaans and Manuel related it as such: "Mr AS Smit submitted a Tip for Trevor which suggested "Kan u in u begrotingsrede belastingbetalers bedank vir hul bydrae." (Can you in you Budget speech thank taxpayers for their contribution?)

Manuel responded, also in Afrikaans: "Meneer Smit is heeltemaal korrek so ek vra om verskoning indien ek dit nie genoegsaam in die verlede gedoen het nie, en spreek ons gesamentlike dankbaarheid uit aan alle belastingbetalers.

He added, which served as translation in English and Venda: "Admonished by Mr Smit, I thank all South African taxpayers for their diligence in contributing to our revenue pool.

"Ndo livhuwa nga maanda!" (Thank you very much).