Will the Easter Bunny be retrenched?

The recent announcement that a special tax on sugar and sugar-containing products is to be introduced still has me scratching my head in puzzlement.
I mean really! What next?

A while back we were “taxed” on plastic shopping bags in an effort to stop the “national flower” from blowing all across the countryside and prevent them from clogging up our rivers and waterways. Did this really help to achieve the goal?

A short drive around any town or city in the country will surely answer that question in a jiffy – no pun intended. Well, maybe. A pun can sometimes be punny… I mean funny.

Over many many years, efforts intended to curtail certain vices, the so-called “sin taxes”, were introduced and have not had the desired effect.

The increase of excise duty on cigarettes, wine and spirits may have succeeded in increasing revenue, but have not prevented masses of people from getting drunk or lighting another ciggie. Sure, a few people may have cut down or quit completely, but not in the numbers expected by the guardians of our health.

Now sugar and all things sweet are being targeted, because folks in the Department of Health are concerned about our health.

This reminds me of a line in a song “Best of all possible worlds” sung by one of my all time favourite singers, Kris Kristofferson.

The line goes: “I said it’s nice to learn that everybody’s so concerned about my health.”

While I can agree that too much of a good thing can be bad for one, I can’t help thinking that certain ideas are conceived simply for the sake of saying something or disguising a manner in which to collect more revenue.

These ideas most often land up missing the intended target by light years.

Not being a smoker or a drinker (except for an occasional beer) and not having had any serious health issues (my own doctor doesn’t even remember me), I consider myself to be pretty healthy, thank you, Mr Minister. I’m sure there are many other folks like me.

But we like our sweeties and chocolates, Sir. Now we’re going to be taxed for that.

Sugar in our tea and coffee, a little bit of chocolate indulgence at the checkout counter, a cold drink or an ice cream now and then and sugar on a pancake are now also “vices” and are going to be taxed by means of “sugar tax?”

Oh,dear. Will it be a matter of time before anyone who uses sugar will be forced to join the smokers outside in the cold?

Will folks be made to “confess” to having consumed sugar? Hardly anything consumed by humans these days does not contain sugar.

Will all advertising of products containing sugar be banished to late-night viewing hours or be banned from magazines?

Think of all the jobs that will be lost if the sales of sugar products plummet.

Dear, oh, dear, even the Easter Bunny will probably then be retrenched! What a thought!

I’m afraid I’ll have to join the ranks of the smokers and drinkers who often justify their indulgences by saying: “No matter what it costs, it’s still a bargain!”

So, Mr Minister Motsoaledi, a little bit of sweetness in my life now and then will still be a bargain, no matter what the cost.

I would hate to see the Easter Bunny without a job.

Thanks for your concern, all the same.