‘Fruit juice tax’ will lead to further job losses, warns DA
The
DA is calling for a debate on plans by government to impose a sugar tax on 100%
fruit juice.
It says South Africa may become one of the few countries in the world to tax natural sugar in fruit juice.
Currently, the Health Promotion Levy is applied to drinks that have added sugar.
DA Shadow Minister of Health Michele Clarke believes 100% fruit juice should be exempt.
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"This will have a massive consequence on sugar farmers and unattended consequences of job losses. the DA has written to the chairperson of the health committee, Dr Kenneth Jacobs to debate this matter urgently. We cannot allow further job losses in the economy of South Africa.”
Dr Lynn Moeng-Mahlangu, who is the Chief Director for Health Promotion and Nutrition in the Department of Health, has defended the proposed tax.
"When we drink a glass of fruit juice its a concentration of many apples that has been expressed. So at the end we get more sugar than we get from when we drink ordinary and maybe some cooldrinks which we diluted or mixed with other things. Because of the processing the nutrients are less than if we eat a whole raw fruit.”
