PRETORIA, Tuesday, 20 November 2018 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is once again embarking on a nationwide awareness campaign to remind taxpayers of their obligation to submit outstanding tax returns.

The three-week campaign, which kicks off today, is targeted primarily at businesses, to encourage compliance regarding Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Value-Added Tax (VAT) and Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE). Information on taxpayer obligations, the submission of tax returns, and consequences related to non-submission will also be shared during the campaign. SARS will also issue final-demand letters to affected taxpayers.

Although Tax Season closed on 31 October 2018, those who missed the deadline are still expected to file all outstanding tax returns, and administrative penalties may be imposed for failure to file. Provisional taxpayers have until 31 January 2019 to file their tax returns via eFiling.

Taxpayers who do not submit their returns will be charged an administrative penalty, which can range from R250 to R16 000 per month, depending on the taxable income of the taxpayer. It is a criminal offence to not submit a return, and continuous non-compliance will lead to criminal prosecution.

SARS remains 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 SARS branches with their taxpayer reference number at hand.