Pretoria - Finance Minister Trevor Manual on Wednesday thanked all South Africans who contributed towards helping him allocate the country's budget by submitting their input to the Tips for Trevor campaign.
He said the campaign had ensured South African's voices were heard.
The Tips for Trevor Campaign was introduced by the National Treasury ten years ago to enable members of the public to suggest to the minister what they would like see included in his Budget Speech.
Every year, the National Treasury invites all South Africans to send in their tips or proposals to the Minister prior his budget speech.
To date, more than 20 000 suggestions have been received by the department including 2 363 for this year.
Commending those who contributed, Minister Manuel said: "Your voices have been heard, in countless ways."
He said South Africans had requested that public benefit organisations receive greater tax relief and "that has been done".
"You advised that the tax treatment of retirement fund withdrawals was too onerous, and so that has been revised," Minister Manuel said.
Minister Manuel said tax tips continued to make up the majority of the tips submitted.
Responding to Saul Margolis' from Johannesburg for his suggestion for a tax to be imposed on incandescent light bulbs to encourage people to use compact fluorescent lightbulbs and save energy, government will be increasing the price of these bulbs by R3.
Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly enjoyed hearing about the tip that was submitted by At du Plooy.
He had written: "Please be a little more lenient on the tax on whisky for the old folks. We have so little to enjoy, you know things that used to happen after dark, no longer happen. All we have left to enjoy is a little entertainment before supper."
