SA Payroll and Tax Compliance for Non-Resident Employers
The 2026 Budget sorts out the PAYE anomaly, but is silent on SDL and UIF. A 2023 amendment to Paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Fourth Schedule to the Income Tax Act requires non-resident employers to withhold employees’ tax (PAYE) only where they conduct business in South Africa through a permanent establishment (PE). While this represented an […]
Auto-Assessments: Not Necessarily Final
Every year, millions of South Africans receive a SARS auto-assessment based on data that SARS already holds. However, while SARS has enhanced parts of its auto-assessment process and online tax assistant, it’s advisable to do a careful review before accepting. If you don’t respond, SARS treats that as you being in agreement with the assessment […]
The new SARS solar energy tax credit
The tax credit for individuals installing solar panels is here, for a limited time only. The proposed new law regarding the tax credit available to individuals who install solar panels has been announced. The system will be introduced in the form of a tax credit, as opposed to a tax deduction. This is good news, […]
IRP5 not uploaded? Expect significant delays
When an employer’s failure to upload an IRP5 brings SARS to a grinding halt. One of my clients has recently retired and like all retirees, they went through the whole rigmarole of completing the numerous forms required by their employer retirement fund so that the fund can calculate their lump sum entitlement and monthly pension. […]
Disclose your defaults before SARS finds them!
A grim warning for South African taxpayers. Long gone are the days when tax fraudsters could run circles around SARS, which has intensified its efforts to crack down on tax evasion by pursuing criminal action against non-compliant taxpayers. One example is when SARS came knocking on the door of a private hospital and its director, […]
How SARS catches tax-dodgers
SARS auditors employ methods that most people wouldn’t have even considered. How does the South African Revenue Service (SARS) catch those who do not contribute their fair share to state coffers? Here are some tests that SARS auditors perform to see if you are being somewhat economical with the truth. Comparing VAT returns to your […]
Never do things just ‘for tax purposes’
A decision based solely on tax considerations is likely to be the wrong one.“I hate tax!” These were the words spoken by a director of one of the clients of the audit firm with whom I served articles. Whilst many would agree with this sentiment towards the tax-man, this particular individual’s zeal in devising schemes […]
Taxation of variable remuneration: Changes are coming
The Draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill was published on 29 July 2022. The bill’s publication marks the start of the tax legislative amendment season. The proposed legislative amendments are currently open for public comment and participation. Executives and payroll administrators should take note of a proposed change to the way in which variable remuneration will […]
Two retirement pots: Limited access, compulsory preservation
The draft tax legislation released by National Treasury on 29 July 2022 contains details of the much anticipated two-pot retirement system. The proposed changes are quite far-reaching—although there will also be criticism that the changes do not go far enough. The intention is for the changes to address the following two concerns: The inability of […]
Tax compliance lives beyond death
A deceased estate takes on a (tax) life of its own while being wound up I started my first job back in September 1987 at the tender age of 18, and approximately nine months later I received my very first income tax return from the Receiver of Revenue (as SARS was known in those days), […]