Inside Covid-19: SA Govt-favoured Stiglitz, Piketty on paying for pandemic: tax the wealthy and digital titans. Ep47

In Episode 47 of Inside Covid-19, we hear fresh and (if you’re rich) some rather frightening ideas from rock star economists Joe Stiglitz and Thomas Piketty on how countries should pay the bill for the war against the pandemic: a blanket 25% levy on multinationals especially tax dodging tech titans; a wealth tax of between 6 and 8% on assets of the world’s rich; and a hike in the marginal tax rate to 90% on the earnings of the super rich. Also tonight, our London correspondent Linda van Tilburg shares context on stories from our partners on a surge in India’s infections; why a flu jab may help ward off a Covid-19 infection – although not in the way you may think – and sensible reasons why wearing a mask when you’re out and about is just like having your seatbelt on in the car. And we close off tonight’s programme with a plea to the government from SA’s Tourism Business Council for its members to test their Covid-19 precautions on domestic tourists and prove that in September they will be safe to honour foreign bookings worth R120bn. – Alec Hogg