Consider this: the panacea for South Africa's growth woes is establishing the country as a tax haven and so bolstering our status as the gateway to Africa. The idea rolled off the tongue of an attorney this week, who admitted that the notion of a tax haven was regarded as "a dirty word in some circles". But he argued there were benefits to the economy that the government had perhaps not fully considered. International tax havens have been criticised for the opportunity they give to wealthy individuals and companies to pay less tax than in their home countries. Tax havens can also offer secrecy from tax authorities, one reason they have such a bad reputation. Another reason is that criminal enterprises can use these havens to launder money. The Paradise Papers leaks late last year - the largest since the Panama Papers exposé in 2016 - added to the disdain for the practice. About 13.4million documents from 19 jurisdictions including Mauritius, the Isle of Man and the British Virgin Is...
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