Intela—Ingabe Iyinkokhelo Yokwakha “Umphakathi Ophucukile”?

“Intela iyilokho esikukhokhayo ukuze sibe nomphakathi ophucukile.”—Umbhalo esakhiweni se-Internal Revenue Service, eWashington, D.C.

OHULUMENI bathi intela iyinto engajabulisi nokho edingekayo—inkokhelo yokwakha “umphakathi ophucukile.” Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uvumelana nalowo mbono noma cha, akunakuphikwa ukuthi le nkokhelo ngokuvamile imba eqolo.

Intela ingahlukaniswa izigaba ezimbili: intela eqondile nengaqondile. Intela edonswa eholweni, intela yebhizinisi, nentela yempahla kuyizibonelo zentela eqondile. Kulezi zinhlobo zentela, cishe intela ecasukelwa kakhulu kunazo zonke intela edonswa eholweni. Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi emazweni lapho intela edonswa eholweni ihlukahluka khona—uma uhola kakhulu, ukhokha kakhulu. Abagxeki bathi intela ehlukahlukayo ijezisa abantu ngokuzikhandla nangempumelelo abanayo.

I-OECD Observer, incwadi ye-Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, isikhumbuza ukuthi ngaphandle kwentela ekhokhwa kuhulumeni omkhulu, “abantu abasebenzayo kungase kudingeke bakhokhe intela edonswa eholweni kumasipala, kumkhandlu-dolobha nasesifundazweni sakubo ngaphezu kwaleyo edonswa uhulumeni wezwe. Lokhu kunjalo eBelgium, eCanada, e-Iceland, eJapane, eKorea, emazweni aseScandinavia, eSpain, eSwitzerland nase-United States.”

Intela engaqondile ihlanganisa intela yentengo, intela yotshwala nogwayi, kanye nentela yokungenisa impahla. Le ntela ayinakeki kakhulu njengentela eqondile kodwa isengaba umthwalo ngokwezimali, ikakhulukazi kwabampofu. Kumagazini waseNdiya i-Frontline, umlobi uJayali Ghosh uveza ukuthi kuyinganekwane ukuthi abantu abasesigabeni esiphakathi nabacebile yibona abathwala umthwalo wentela eNdiya. UGhosh uthi: “Intela engaqondile yakha amaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-95 engqikithi yemali ohulumeni boMbuso abayiqongelela ngentela. . . . Cishe abantu abampofu empeleni bachitha ingxenye enkulu yeholo labo bekhokhela intela kunabantu abacebile.” Intela ephakeme ezintweni ezikhiqizelwa iningi lesintu, njengensipho nokudla, ngokusobala ibangela lokhu kungalingani.

Benzani ngempela ohulumeni ngayo yonke le mali abayiqongelelayo?

Okwenziwayo Ngemali

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi kubiza uhulumeni imali eningi ukuqhuba imisebenzi yakhe nokuhlela izinkonzo ezidingekayo. Ngokwesibonelo, eFrance, umuntu oyedwa kwabane usebenzela uhulumeni. Lokhu kuhlanganisa othisha, izisebenzi zaseposini, izisebenzi zasemnyuziyamu nasezibhedlela, amaphoyisa nezinye izisebenzi zikahulumeni. Kudingeka intela ukuze ziholelwe. Intela ikhokhela nemigwaqo, izikole nezibhedlela futhi isiza nasekukhokheleni izinkonzo ezinjengokuthuthwa kwemfucumfucu nokudilivwa kweposi.

Izindleko zezempi zingesinye isici esithonya imithetho yentela. Ekuqaleni abaseBrithani abacebile kwakudonswa intela eholweni labo ukuze kukhokhelwe impi eyayilwiwa nelaseFrance ngo-1799. Nokho, phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, uhulumeni waseBrithani waqala ukufuna ukuba abantu abasebenzayo nabo kudonswe intela eholweni labo. Namuhla, ukukhokha izindleko zezempi kusamba eqolo, ngisho nasezikhathini zokuthula. I-Stockholm International Peace Research Institute yalinganisela ukuthi izindleko zezempi emhlabeni wonke ngo-2000 zazibalelwa emaRandini ayizigidi zezigidi ezingu-5,9.

Ukuguqulwa Kwezenhlalo

Intela ibuye isebenze njengendlela “yokuguqula ezenhlalo”—ithuluzi lokukhuthaza noma lokunqanda ukuziphatha okuthile. Ngokwesibonelo, kucatshangwa ukuthi ukukhokha intela yotshwala kunciphisa ukuphuza ngokweqile. Ngakho, emazweni amaningi amaphesenti angaba ngu-35 entengo kabhiya adonswa njengentela.

Kunentela ephakeme ekhokhwayo ngogwayi. ENingizimu Afrika intela yakha amaphesenti angu-45 kuya kwangu-50 entengo yephakethe likagwayi. Nokho, inhloso kahulumeni ekukhuthazeni intela enjalo ingase ingabi ukucabangela izakhamuzi ngaso sonke isikhathi. Njengoba umlobi uKenneth Warner esho kumagazini i-Foreign Policy, ugwayi “uyithonya elinamandla kwezomnotho elingenisa inzuzo eyizigidigidi zama-dollar kanye nezigidigidi zentela unyaka ngamunye.”

Esinye isibonelo esiphawulekayo sokuguqula ezenhlalo senzeka ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20. Izishaya-mthetho zase-United States zazifuna ukunqanda ukwakheka kohide lwezizukulwane zemindeni ecebile. Kanjani? Ngokusungula intela yomhlaba. Lapho isicebi sifa, kunentela edla ingxenye enkulu yengcebo esiyiqongelele. Abasekela lo mbono baveza ukuthi le ntela “isabalalisa ukusetshenziswa kwengcebo kusuke emndenini nasemaqenjini ayikhethelo kuye emphakathini, kusize nasezidingweni zeningi.” Mhlawumbe kunjalo, kodwa abantu abacebile abakhokha intela baye basungula amasu amaningana okunciphisa umthwalo waleyo ntela.

Intela isaqhubeka isetshenziselwa ukuthuthukisa izinhlelo ezihlukahlukene zezenhlalo, njengokunakekelwa kwemvelo. I-Environmental Magazine iyabika: “Amazwe ayisishiyagalolunye aseNtshonalanga Yurophu asanda kushaya imithetho yokusetshenziswa kwentela ekunakekeleni imvelo, ngokuyinhloko njengendlela yokunciphisa izinto ezingcolisa umoya.” Intela ehlukahlukayo edonswa eholweni, okukhulunywe ngayo ekuqaleni, ingenye indlela yokuzama ukuguqula ezenhlalo; umgomo uwukunciphisa igebe phakathi kwabacebile nabampofu. Abanye ohulumeni babanciphisela nentela labo abanikelela izinhlangano zosizo noma imibhangqwana enezingane.

Kungani Iyinkimbinkimbi Kangaka?

Njalo lapho kuhlongozwa intela entsha, izishaya-mthetho zizama ukuvala zonke izikhala zokushiyeka kwemithetho yentela. Khumbula: Kuhileleke izindodla zemali. Uba yini umphumela? Imithetho yentela ivame ukuba yinkimbinkimbi futhi iyaphica ngempela. Isihloko esithile kumagazini i-Time sichaza ukuthi izinkinga eziningi emthethweni wezentela e-United States “zibangelwa ubunzima bokuhlukanisa imali umuntu ayitholayo,” okuwukuthi, ukunquma ukuthi iyiphi imali okufanele kudonswe intela kuyo. Ezinye izinkinga zibangelwa imithetho eyinqwaba “evumela ukudonswa kwezintela ezihlukahlukene nokukhululwa enteleni.” Nokho, akulona elase-United States kuphela elinemithetho yentela eyinkimbinkimbi. Uhlelo lwamuva lwemithetho yentela yase-United Kingdom lwalunamakhasi angu-9 521, ayegcwalisa imiqulu eyishumi.

I-Office of Tax Policy Research e-University of Michigan iyabika: “Unyaka ngamunye abantu base-United States abakhokha intela bachitha amahora angaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu begcwalisa amafomu abo entela. . . . Sekukonke, isikhathi nemali abantu base-United States okudonswa intela eholweni labo abakuchitha [begcwalisa amafomu entela] kubalelwa kuma-dollar ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu [amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-740] unyaka ngamunye, noma cishe amaphesenti ayishumi entela eqongelelwayo. Eziningi zalezi zindleko zokugcina umthetho wentela zibangelwa ubunkimbinkimbi bemithetho yayo yeholo.” UReuben, okukhulunywe ngaye esethulweni sesihloko sokuqala kulolu chungechunge, uthi: “Ngangivame ukuzama ukuzigcwalisela amafomu entela, kodwa kwakungidlela isikhathi, futhi ngangivame ukuba nomuzwa wokuthi ngikhokha ngaphezu kwalokho okwakufanele. Ngakho manje ngikhokhela umgcini-zimali ukuba angisingathele izindaba zentela.”—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukubambisana Nemithetho Yentela,” ekhasini 8.

Abayikhokhayo, Abayigwemayo, Nabayibalekelayo

Okungenani abantu abaningi bazivuma ngokunqikaza izinzuzo zentela emphakathini wakubo. Umphathi we-British Inland Revenue wake wachaza: “Akekho umuntu okujabulelayo ukukhokha intela edonswa eholweni, kodwa akekho ongagomela ngokuthi singaphila kangcono ngaphandle kwayo.” Abanye balinganisela ukuthi abantu ababambisana nemithetho yentela e-United States bangaba amaphesenti angu-90. Isikhulu esithile sezentela siyavuma: “Abantu abaningi abangabambisani nentela basuke bexakwe yimithetho nezinqubo, hhayi ngoba beyibalekela ngamabomu.”

Noma kunjalo, abaningi bathola izindlela zokugwema ukukhokha enye intela. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela lokho isihloko se-U.S.News & World Report esakusho ngentela yamabhizinisi: “Izinkampani eziningi ziyigwema ngokusemthethweni ingxenye enkulu yentela ephakeme okufanele ziyikhokhe—ngezinye izikhathi yonke intela—ngezinxephezelo zentela nangokusebenzisa umkhonyovu lapho zigcwalisa izincwadi.” Sinikeza isibonelo salezi zimiso zobuqili, lesi sihloko siyaqhubeka: “Inkampani yase-United States ivula ifemu ezweni elingaphandle elingenayo intela ephakeme. Ibe isishintsha inkampani ese-United States ibe yigatsha lale femu ekwelinye izwe.” Kanjalo le nkampani iyakhululeka ekukhokheni intela yase-United States—engase ibe ngamaphesenti angu-35—yize “indlunkulu kungenzeka ukuthi imane inekhabethe lamafayili nebhokisi leposi kuphela.”

Kukhona-ke nokubalekela ukukhokha intela ngokuqondile. Kubikwa ukuthi kwelinye izwe laseYurophu, ukubalekela ukukhokha intela kubhekwa “njengomdlalo kazwelonke.” Ngokwenhlolo-vo eyenziwa e-United States, bangamaphesenti angu-58 kuphela abesilisa abaneminyaka engu-25 kuya kwengu-29 ababekholelwa ukuthi akulungile ukungalivezi lonke iholo lakho. Abasunguli bale nhlolo-vo bayavuma: “Lo mbiko uveza umfanekiso omubi ngesimilo nokuziphatha komphakathi wethu.” EMexico balinganiselwa kumaphesenti angu-35 abantu ababalekela ukukhokha intela.

Nokho, imvamisa abantu bayasiqaphela isidingo sentela futhi abakwenqeni ukuyikhokha. Noma kunjalo, amazwi adumile okuthiwa ashiwo uThiberiyu Khesari abonakala eyiqiniso: “Umalusi omuhle kufanele azigunde izimvu zakhe, angazebuli isikhumba.” Uma unomuzwa wokuthi ucindezelwe yisimiso esibonakala sinzima, singenabulungisa, futhi siyinkimbinkimbi ngokweqile, kufanele ukubheke kanjani ngempela ukukhokha intela?

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

Cabangisisa Ngaphambi Kokuba Uthuthe!

Imithetho yentela iyahlukahluka kuye ngamazwe. Empeleni, intela indawo ngayinye eyidonsayo eholweni ingahluka kakhulu khona kanye ezweni elifanayo. Ingabe kufanele ucabangele ukuthuthela endaweni enentela ephansi? Mhlawumbe, kodwa kufanele ucabangisise ngaphambi kokuba uthuthe.

Ngokwesibonelo, isihloko se-OECD Observer sikhumbuza abafundi ukuthi indaba ayigcini nje ngentela eyisisekelo edonswa eholweni. Sithi: “Isitatimende sentela ekhokhwa umuntu ngamunye sibonisa nokuthi zingakanani izimali ezihlukahlukene ezidonswayo.” Ngokwesibonelo, amanye amazwe anesilinganiso esiphansi sentela edonswa eholweni. Kodwa “awanazo izaphulelo eziyisisekelo, izinxephezelo nemithetho ekhulula umuntu.” Ngenxa yalokho, umuntu angagcina esekhokha kakhulu kulawo mazwe kunasemazweni anentela ephakeme anikeza izinxephezelo nemithetho ekhulula umuntu enteleni eyengeziwe.

E-United States, abanye bacabangela ukuthuthela ezifundazweni ezingenayo intela kahulumeni edonswa eholweni. Kodwa ingabe lokhu kuyamongela imali umuntu? Akunjalo ngokwe-Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, ethi: “Ezimweni eziningi, ucwaningo lwethu lubonisa ukuthi izifundazwe ezingenayo intela edonswa eholweni zivala isikhala ngentela ephakeme yempahla, intela yentengo neyezinye izinto.”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 8]

Ukubambisana Nemithetho Yentela

Kwabaningi bethu, ukukhokha intela kuwumsebenzi ocindezelayo nokhandlayo. Ngakho i-Phaphama! icelé amacebiso kuchwepheshe othile wezentela.

“Thola iseluleko esinengqondo. Lokhu kubalulekile, ngoba imithetho yentela ingaba yinkimbinkimbi, futhi ukungawazi umthetho ngokuvamile akwamukelwa njengezaba zokungabambisani nawo. Nakuba umuntu okhokha intela engase acabange ukuthi izikhulu zentela ziyizitha, ngokuvamile zinganikeza iziyalezo ezinembile nezilula zokuthi angazisingatha kanjani izindaba zentela. Izikhulu zentela zifisa ukuba uwagcwalise ngendlela efanele amafomu entela zisuka nje. Azifuni ukukujezisa ngenxa yokungabambisani nazo.

“Uma izindaba zakho zezimali ziyinkimbinkimbi, cela amacebiso kuchwepheshe wezentela. Kodwa uqaphele! Nakuba ochwepheshe abaningi bezentela beyikhathalela inhlalakahle yakho, baningi abangenamsebenzi nayo. Cela umngane omethembayo noma umuntu omaziyo kwezebhizinisi ukuba atuse othile, bese uhlola imininingwane yalowo chwepheshe.

“Thatha isinyathelo ngokushesha. Izinhlawulo zokuthumela amafomu sekwephuzile zingemba eqolo.

“Gcina amarekhodi esesimweni esihle. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usebenzisa siphi isimiso sokugcina izincwadi, sigcine sihlelekile. Kanjalo, umsebenzi okufanele uwenze lapho usugcwalisa amafomu entela uyoba mncane. Uyoba sesimweni esingcono kakhulu nalapho kufanele kuhlolwe amarekhodi akho.

“Thembeka. Ungase ulingeke ukuba ukhohlise noma mhlawumbe ushintshe imithetho ngandlela-thile. Kodwa izikhulu zentela zinezindlela eziningi ezihlakaniphile zokubona imibiko engamanga. Kungcono kakhulu ukuthembeka ngaso sonke isikhathi.

“Yiba nengxenye. Uma uchwepheshe wezentela omqashile ethumela ukwaziswa okunganembile, nguwe ozolandisa. Ngakho qiniseka ukuthi umuntu okumelelayo wenza ngokuvumelana nezifiso zakho.”

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Emazweni amaningi imikhiqizo kagwayi neziphuzo ezidakayo kuba nentela ephakeme

[Izithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

Intela ikhokhela izinkonzo eziningi esingase sizithathe kalula