PRETORIA, Monday, 22 January 2018 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is embarking on a nationwide awareness campaign to remind taxpayers of their obligation to submit outstanding tax returns.

The campaign kicked off in KwaZulu-Natal today. Other provinces will be covered over the next six weeks. During this campaign, SARS will share information on taxpayer obligations, the submission of tax returns, and consequences related to non-submission.

SARS would like to see higher levels of compliance across all tax types and prompt payment of tax debt. Taxpayers who do not submit their returns are charged a penalty, which can range from R250 to R16 000 per month, depending on the taxable income of the taxpayer. It is a criminal offence not to submit a return, and continuous non-compliance will lead to criminal prosecution.

SARS’ responsibility is to collect tax and customs duties on behalf of the country, and is committed to ensuring that each and every taxpayer pays their fair share towards the growth of our country.  The Revenue Authority will be taking a tougher stance on those who do not submit their returns and deliberately seek to avoid their tax obligations.

SARS is equally committed to providing service and education to taxpayers who need assistance. Taxpayers are encouraged to call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277 or to visit any of our branches with their taxpayer reference number at hand.