Pretoria, 31 October 2018 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for September 2018 recording a trade deficit of R2.95 billion. These statistics include trade data with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN). The year-to-date (01 January to 30 September 2018) trade deficit of R0.33 billion is a deterioration on the surplus for the comparable period in 2017 of R44.89 billion. Exports year-to-date increased by 5.6% whilst imports for the same period showed an increase of 11.5%.

Please click here to read the full document.

Visit the Trade Statistics webpage for more info.

Operating hours extended – this Saturday only

PRETORIA, 25 October 2018 – Individual taxpayers have 7 days left to file their personal income tax returns before tax season closes on Wednesday,
31 October.

Ten things to note as we approach the deadline:

1. SARS will be assisting taxpayers with their personal tax returns this Saturday morning, 27 October 2018,  between 8am and 1pm.  This will be done through our contact centre, Help-You-eFile and all branches across the country.
2. eFiling is available 24 hours, seven days a week. Taxpayers are encouraged to go online to avoid the queues.
3. Self-Help kiosks are available at selected branches for eFiling.
4. eFiling has on average handled 25 000 submissions a day and as volumes increase towards the deadline, can handle up to 150 000 submissions a day. At one point this week, 20 000 taxpayers logged onto our system at exactly the same time to transact.
5. Help-You-eFile is how SARS brings a branch tax consultant to taxpayers without them needing to leave their home or place of work. It is anonline function on eFiling that connects the taxpayer to a SARS tax agent who will help the taxpayer complete their tax return. Help-You-eFile is available during business hours.
6. Tax returns are assessed on the same day they are submitted.
7. SARS has made it easy for taxpayers by prepopulating tax returns with information received from third party data. This leaves less fields for the taxpayer to complete and requires that the taxpayer merely verifies the information contained on their tax return.
8. From 01 November, administrative penalties ranging from R200 to R15000 will be applied to late filing of tax returns. This is according to the Tax Administration Act No. 28 of 2011.
9. Eighteen taxpayers have been prosecuted and publicly named this year for not filing a tax return.
10. Taxpayers are again alerted to scams where refunds are promised or where the taxpayer is informed of debt they owe SARS. Authenticate all communication seemingly from SARS through the SARS contact centre or at a branch. Fraud is often committed in the name of the taxpayer through fraudulent expenses. Taxpayers should be aware that when SARS identifies such fraud, the taxpayer will be liable for the full debt as well as penalties.   

Important contact details:

• SARS Contact Centre: 0800 00 7277
• Suspicious tax activity and corruption hotline: 0800 00 2870
• Online suspicious report 

To access this page in different languages click on the links below:

Pretoria, 16 October 2018 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has released its latest Customs busts statistics from 1 July 2018 to 30 September 2018. The total value of all goods confiscated amounts to R890 641 942.

Some of the statistics include:

• Narcotics: 152 busts valued at R38 711 220
• Cigarettes: 43 busts valued at R11 178 022
• CITES (including endangered species such as abalone): 10 busts valued at R198 355
• Currency: 3 busts valued at R18 654 734
• Viagra / Viagra Generics: 20 busts valued at R4 842 200
• Counterfeit clothing, footwear and other goods: 417 busts valued at R766 212 803
• Clothing and Textiles (second hand and other infringements): 118 busts valued at R1 219 118
• Alcohol: 96 busts valued at R1 847 132 

Compared with the same period last year (July to September 2017), the number and value of busts has increased to 2 499, valued at R890 641 942, this year, compared to 1 776 busts valued at R754 890 874 last year.

Executive: Customs Investigations, Patrick Moeng, reaffirmed SARS’ continued commitment and collaboration with other government agencies and industry stakeholders in stemming the tide against illicit economy, with a specific focus on the Clothing and Textile, Fuel, Tobacco and Cigarettes sectors. To date, due to this collaboration, more than thirty (30) entities suspected of trading in illegal tobacco and cigarettes, as well as clothing and textile, have been visited in the past two weeks across the country for contravening various tax laws.

Some of the high-profile busts which took place during this three month period include the following:

• Cocaine, with an estimated value of R4 800 000, en route from South Africa to UK, was seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 31 July.
• Heroin, with an estimated value of R4 400 000, en route from Mozambique to South Africa, was seized at the Lebombo Border Post on 20 August.
• Ephedrine, with an estimated value of R4 500 000, en route from India via Dubai to South Africa, was seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 24 August.
• Sexual Enhancement Tablets (Generic Viagra) valued at R300 000, en route from Dubai to South Africa, were seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 25 July.
• Sexual Enhancement Tablets (Generic Viagra) valued at R2 000 000, en route from Ethiopia to South Africa, were seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 06 August.
• Sexual Enhancement Tablets (Generic Viagra) valued at R2 480 000, en route from Hong Kong to South Africa, were seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 31 August.
• Abalone, with an estimated value of R180 000, en route from South Africa to Hong Kong, was seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 16 August.
• Currency (USD), equivalent to R9 194 234, en route from Mozambique via South Africa to Dubai, was seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 30 July.
• Currency (USD), valued R9 460 500, en route from South Africa to Hong Kong, was seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 11 September.
• Rhodium, valued at R3 262 712, en route from South Africa to France, was seized at OR Tambo International Airport on 28 August.
• 799 400 Cigarettes were seized at the Beit Bridge Border Post on 21 July.
• 1 000 000 Cigarettes were seized at Upington on 27 July.

Operating hours extended to Saturdays in October

Pretoria, 01 October 2018 – Individual taxpayers have 30 days left to file their personal income tax returns.

The focus this filing season has been on the 24-hour eFiling channel which taxpayers can use at their leisure without having to go to a branch.  eFilers are supported by the Help-You-eFile mechanism during business hours, which links them to a SARS contact centre agent who can assist the taxpayer to complete their tax return.

In the last month of filing season, the SARS contact centre will be available on Saturdays on 06 – 27 October from 8 am to 1 pm, to support taxpayers with eFiling. 

All SARS branches will also be open on Saturdays at the same time where taxpayers can make use of self-help kiosks to electronically file their personal income tax returns. 

It is important to note that the extended hours on Saturdays will only be used to assist with personal income tax returns.

To date, SARS is close to reaching the 3-million mark in tax return submissions for the current year of assessment. This is approximately a 4% increase compared to the same time last year.  Of these returns, 51% have been submitted through eFiling. 

Administrative penalties will be applied to late filing of tax returns and range from R200 to R5000. In accordance with the Tax Administration Act No. 28 of 2011 (TAA), and specifically Section 234 (d), it is a criminal offence not to submit a tax return for any of the tax types a taxpayer is registered for.

SARS has clamped down on outstanding tax returns to improve compliance, with 18 taxpayers prosecuted this year for not filing a return.  These taxpayers, who were publicly named, had ignored SARS’ reminders that they were due to file a return, and now possess a criminal record. Fines ranging from R2000 to R20 000, as well as admission of guilt fines were handed down by the courts, while some were imprisoned.

Taxpayers should be alert of scams where refunds are promised or where the taxpayer is informed of debt they owe SARS.  These scams come in various forms including letters, email, website links and even individuals either posing as SARS officials, debt collectors or tax preparers.  There are instances where tax preparers promise taxpayers a refund in return for a percentage of the refund as a fee. Fraud is often committed in the name of the taxpayer by claiming fraudulent expenses. When SARS does identify this fraud the taxpayer will be liable for the full debt as well as penalties.

Taxpayers should always authenticate communication in relation to SARS via the contact centre or a SARS branch.  Suspicious tax activity can reported online or via the SARS suspicious activity hotline.

Taxpayers are reminded that tax season is about reconciling tax deductions from the previous year and assessing whether the correct amount of tax was deducted.  This assessment can result in a refund to the taxpayer or a payment to SARS where the taxpayer owes tax to SARS.  Alternatively it can result in a nil return, where the taxpayer neither owes SARS nor is due a refund. 

Important contact details:

To access this page in different languages click on the links below:

Pretoria, 13 September 2018 – On Tuesday this week, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs officers intercepted a Hong Kong bound female student at OR Tambo International Airport, with almost R10-million – 630 000 USD – packed in 50 and 100 dollar bundles in a plastic bag.

The final amount, after counting, totalled 630 700 USD, which equates to R9 460 500.00.

The flight was due to leave when the officers intercepted the passenger on the flight. The passenger, a South African female student, who had boarded with two bags as hand luggage, was then alighted with her luggage.

Initially, she denied having currency in her possession, but after further questioning, she admitted that she had a substantial amount of money in her back pack.

Officers led her to the Customs search area, where she was placed in an interview room and requested to complete a traveller card. The passenger verbally stated that she had 650 000 United States dollars in her bag. She admitted that she was not the owner of the currency, nor could she supply any proof of ownership.

Customs registered a criminal case of smuggling currency and failure to declare at the local police station. The passenger was then arrested pending her court appearance on the charges. The case was registered under the South African Police Services, case number 117/9/2018. The student is expected to appear in court today.

“SARS remains appreciative of the constructive collaboration between ACSA, SAPS, DPCI, Asset Forfeiture Unit (NPA) and the State Security Agency (SSA), which is yielding positive results in the fight against the scourge of illicit financial flows,” said Acting Chief Officer: Customs and Excise, Beyers Theron.

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