Budget 3.0 coming after court-backed VAT suspension and new Rates Bill
SARS tells vendors there is now no legal basis for them to charge consumers VAT of 15.5% from 1 May.
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Ithala’s fate hangs in the balance amid legal battles and funding disputes
Ithala depositors remain locked out of their funds while disputes over frozen accounts, strategic alliances, and government guarantees deepen.
Godongwana given 30 days to revise Budget after VAT reversal
The ANC and the DA present South Africans with different versions of what led to the decision to halt the increase.
Godongwana says VAT court challenge is politics in legal clothing
The finance minister defends the VAT hike as an urgent fiscal necessity, warning that suspending it could blow a R13.5bn hole in the Budget.
SIU denies leaking report implicating RAF CEO in R79m lease deal
While the SIU distances itself from the leak, unanswered questions remain about why a lease allegedly approved by Treasury and audited without findings is now under scrutiny.
Retirement pot withdrawals could undermine long-term savings
Danie van Zyl of Sanlam Corporate Investments warns that allowing access to retirement components in retrenchment cases might jeopardise long-term savings and place added pressure on trustees.
Experts warn reversing VAT increase may be impractical
Once implemented on 1 May, undoing the VAT hike could prove nearly impossible. Even if Parliament later votes against the Rates and Monetary Amounts Bill, the logistics of refunding the collected VAT present formidable challenges.
AML/CFT | Strict enforcement will be the new normal
The need to get South Africa off the grey list has seen the FSCA beefing up its supervisory and licensing capacities.
Proposal to tweak ‘bona fide inadvertent error’ in favour of SARS
The move will limit taxpayer defences that rely solely on claiming an unintentional mistake.
FSCA discloses approach to regulating a rapidly changing financial sector
Unathi Kamlana says the Authority will support the integration of advanced technologies and strengthen frameworks for consumer protection, cyber resilience, and financial inclusion.
Godongwana reassures Ithala’s depositors with R2bn guarantee
The minister’s address to the FSCA conference also touched on regulation, South Africa’s G20 presidency, political tensions over the Budget, and economic growth.
Treasury and SASSA granted leave to appeal ruling on SRD grant
‘Due to the complexity and seriousness of this case … it deserves the attention of the Supreme Court of Appeal,’ says Judge Leonard Twala.
SA’s path beyond the grey list: key challenges and opportunities ahead
While South Africa is on track to exit the grey list by October, National Treasury emphasises the importance of long-term improvements and continuous progress in financial regulation.
Higher VAT will impact business operations and consumer spending
The Minister of Finance cites an average 19% VAT among peers to argue that South Africa’s 15% rate is low, but isolated comparisons miss key factors such as exemptions, corporate rates, and overall business costs.
VAT hike | Guidance for businesses on supply rules and timing
How the general and specific time-of-supply rules will determine whether transactions fall under the existing 15% VAT rate or the increased rate.
Two (?) VAT hikes and no adjustments to the income tax brackets
A comprehensive round-up of the tax proposals affecting individual taxpayers and consumers.
VAT hike scaled back, but social grants take the biggest hit
With the government now R8.6 billion short, planned social grant increases have been slashed – while Home Affairs and border management also see deep budget cuts.
