Draft tax bills target spousal donations and VDP interest relief
Treasury wants to close what it sees as a tax-avoidance route involving emigrating spouses, while proposing a taxpayer-friendly change to voluntary disclosures.
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Draft TLAB will settle living annuity commutation rule
The proposal puts SARS’s existing cumulative approach into the Income Tax Act, ending uncertainty over whether the R150 000 limit applies per policy.
Unclaimed benefits | Support for central tracing, not central control
Retirement funds back efforts to make unclaimed benefits easier to find but say transferring billions in retirement assets into a central fund goes too far.
Draft manual sets out proposed cross-border crypto regime
Early industry reaction focuses the implications for stablecoin payments and self-custody wallets, and the compliance burden.
Kganyago: Stop betting on sports and start betting on growth
The SARB’s governor argues the country knows how to revive the economy; the real test is whether it has the resolve to implement the necessary reforms.
Unclaimed retirement benefits – a problem that won’t go away
Better member data, stronger engagement, and AI-assisted tracing may improve future outcomes, but billions of rands in legacy retirement savings are likely to remain unclaimed.
Treasury swaps sanctions for stricter municipal oversight
The release of R7.1 billion buys time, but December’s equitable share assessment will determine whether non-compliant municipalities face another funding freeze.
Municipalities are owed R218bn. So why are they running out of money?
The FFC says a system-wide breakdown in collecting and paying bills is fuelling arrears that more than a decade of government interventions has failed to contain.
Treasury faces seven-day deadline over withheld municipal funds
Lawmakers want legal questions over withheld equitable-share allocations resolved as Treasury begins releasing billions of rand to compliant municipalities.
Treasury’s crackdown spreads beyond municipalities
Municipalities that fix their governance failures could regain funding within weeks, while provinces and national departments are now facing the same scrutiny.
Parliament calls for comment on AML/CFT reform Bill
Stakeholders have until 10 August to comment on proposed amendments aimed at strengthening South Africa’s financial crime framework.
Treasury intervention lays bare concentrated municipal debt
Just 10 of the 69 affected municipalities account for more than R21.6bn in arrears to utilities, retirement funds, SARS and other creditors.
Retirement fund arrears rise to R8.33bn despite R1bn in recoveries
Late-payment interest now accounts for almost half of arrears, suggesting unpaid contributions are remaining outstanding for longer.
COFI at the heart of FSCA’s 2026 regulation plan
The Authority’s three-year roadmap also outlines upcoming reforms affecting financial markets, retirement funds, payment services, and cross-sector regulation.
Ithala enters next phase as repayment administrator’s role comes under review
As the National Treasury-backed repayment programme for Ithala depositors nears completion, KZN Treasury says the Prudential Authority will review the repayment administrator’s role.
Connected data is strengthening the fight against tax evasion
Advanced data matching is helping SARS to identify businesses and individuals whose tax affairs do not align with their activities.
Treasury to decide on basic income policy by July, MPs told
The Social Relief of Distress grant might be extended while a new policy is finalised.
