Illegal cigarettes, hookah-pipe tobacco and scrap metal worth R 40-million seized
The Customs Division of South African Revenue Service (SARS), using modern risk detection systems and working with other law enforcement agencies, have seized illicit cigarettes, hookah-pipe tobacco and scrap metal with a total tax prejudice of R40-million.
SARS uncovers non-compliance through data-driven risk detection
The South African Revenue Service (SARS), as one of its strategic objectives is working hard to increase and expand the use of data to improve the integrity of outcomes and enhance its capability to detect instances of non-compliance. SARS is encouraged by the early success, in the latter.
Oakbay director sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment
The South African Revenue Service Commissioner, Mr Edward Kieswetter, welcomed a 10-year prison sentence imposed on the Director of Oakbay Trading Mr DP Naik. Mr Naik was convicted for fraud and for contravening the Customs and Excise Act after he falsified export documents and diverted cigarettes back into the South African market without paying the excise and duties for import and export.
SARS warns about fraudulent refund scams
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is aware of a number of incidents where fraudulent or unauthorised changes of tax practitioners and / or taxpayers’ eFiling profiles have been made with the sole intention to defraud SARS and affected taxpayers.
Implementation of Tax Directives Enhancements
SARS will introduce changes to its systems from 1 March 2022 to prevent taxpayers who receive income from more than one source, and where one of the sources is income from a retirement fund, ending up with a large tax debt payable to SARS after assessment of their income tax return.
SARS to apply for leave to appeal the judgment of 16 November 2021
The Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service, Mr Edward Kieswetter, after receiving carefully considered legal advice, as well as a strong recommendation from the relevant SARS governance committee, has agreed that SARS should apply for leave to appeal the judgment of 16 November 2021 in the Arena Holdings matter.
Trade Statistics for October 2021
SARS today released trade statistics for October 2021 recording a preliminary trade balance surplus of R19.78 billion, attributable to exports of R147.92 billion and imports of R128.14 billion.
SARS extends filing season deadline
To afford other taxpayers the opportunity to comply with their legal requirements, SARS will extend the filing season deadline for non-provisional individual taxpayers from 23 November 2021 to 2 December 2021. SARS is acutely aware of systemic issues the organisation has experienced, as well as the impact of load-shedding on taxpayers which made it difficult for taxpayers to file their returns.
Continued collaboration towards tax transparency through exchange of information
Tax Transparency and Exchange of Information occupied center stage on the international tax agenda this past week with the back-to-back hosting of the Africa Initiative and OECD Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (Global Forum) Plenary meetings.
High court judgment
The Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), Mr Edward Kieswetter, has noted the judgment handed down by the Gauteng High Court in the matter of Arena Holdings and others v SARS and others on 16 November 2021, on the release of information relating to a taxpayer.
