24 November 2025 — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has formally launched the Large Business Forum (Forum), bringing together some of the country’s key taxpayers from various sectors. The entire Large & International Business Segment (L&IB) collectively contributed R600 billion in the 2024-2025 financial year. This Forum represents the first of many that will be held across all Large Business taxpayers and forms part of an extension of our enhanced service engagement.
The Forum is part of SARS’ strategic intent to foster voluntary compliance and strengthen the relationship with South Africa’s largest corporate taxpayers. By establishing this platform, SARS aligns with international best practice, prioritising proactive engagement and collaboration with major corporations.
SARS’ approach centres on clarity, certainty, and simplicity. The organisation works closely with large businesses to make compliance straightforward, while managing risk and tackling non-compliance.
Through the process of segmentation, SARS provides a differentiated and customised service offering that responds to the unique needs of these taxpayers. The nature of engagement also takes into account the unique compliance risks of a particular sector. It also provides similar superior service to other categories of taxpayers where there are similar circumstances.
At the core of SARS’ engagement with large businesses is cooperation. SARS works side by side with these companies, following a relationship model, to ensure clear lines of communication and swift resolution of issues through a Relationship Executive. By establishing predictable points of contact, SARS enables businesses in this fast-changing digital environment the opportunity to address concerns quickly and efficiently. Given the complexity of corporate tax matters, SARS works closely with these corporations and their tax advisers to simplify and find solutions to tax related challenges. This collaboration deepens understanding, builds trust, and strengthens the partnership between SARS, businesses, and their advisers.
Ms Natasha Singh L&IB Head spoke of a triangle that anchors the relationship with large business, which comprises of citizens, clients and colleagues. She said the “dynamic interaction between these three key role players all converges, to foster voluntary compliance that helps to build a capable state for the benefit of citizens, while responding expeditiously to the needs of business and supported by an agile diverse and engaged workforce”.
This commitment to partnership is captured succinctly by SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, who said: “True tax compliance is not necessarily enforced but regarded within the understanding that the fiscal resources that tax provides facilitate economic enablement and social services – in particular to the most vulnerable. Compliance is voluntary when earned through mutual trust, professionalism, ethical engagement, and genuine partnership.”
By working together with our largest contributors and their advisers, we build a tax system that is not only robust, but also fair and responsive to the needs of our nation”. He added that this philosophy guides SARS’s approach, which puts cooperation, open communication, and mutual respect at the heart of its relationship with large businesses and their advisers.
The Large Business Forum aims to:
- Enable the sharing of perspectives and challenges through sector-focused forums;
- Help the LB&I gain deeper insights into the economic, commercial and global pressures affecting large businesses;
- Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the LB&I service offering;
- Share SARS concerns regarding compliance risks, aggressive tax planning and illicit activities;
- Provide thought leadership on practical implications of tax reforms; and
- Strengthen relationships between SARS and large businesses.
“Simply, the Forum creates a space where SARS and leading taxpayers can solve challenges together, share insights, and drive innovation. This partnership enhances the integrity of our tax system, supports business growth, and contributes to South Africa’s fiscal stability for the benefit of all stakeholders” said Mr. Kieswetter.
The Forum will have terms of reference and will take a decision on the frequency of meetings and how the business of the Forum will be conducted.
For further information, please contact [email protected].
