SARS raids mark overdue escalation in illicit economy crackdown
Search-and-seizure operations targeting customs corruption mark a move from policy to enforcement, as SARS steps up efforts against illicit trade draining billions from the fiscus.
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VAT decision highlights constitutional defects across tax Acts
Tax experts say the constitutional problem identified by the High Court could affect several other laws that give the finance minister similar powers.
GAAR assessments cannot be rewritten in litigation, SCA rules
SARS cannot fundamentally alter the factual basis or remedy of an assessment issued under the general anti-avoidance rule provisions through a Rule 31 statement.
Applying excess retirement contributions: implications for lump sums, annuities, and estates
Allan Gray’s Carla Rossouw clarifies excess contributions in relation to deduction limits, annuity income taxation, and the treatment of benefits at death.
Excess retirement contributions: when they help – and when they hurt
Converting discretionary savings into retirement vehicles can cut tax on living annuity drawdowns – but may reduce long-term value.
CARF expands SARS’s visibility over crypto transactions, says PwC
The new reporting regime, effective from 1 March, increases the information available to SARS through third-party reporting and international data exchange.
Smart tech boosts compliance, yet R646bn tax debt looms large
Using AI and third-party data, SARS identified some 100 000 high-income earners who were not registered for tax.
VDP interest relief proposed despite recent Constitutional Court precedent
Just a year after the Constitutional Court barred post-agreement interest remission in voluntary disclosure cases, Treasury proposes legislation to allow it.
Court halts SARS’s ‘pay now, argue later’ rule in R531m tax battle
The judgment clarifies that when a taxpayer offers over-collateralised security and SARS cannot explain real risk, suspension should follow.
Zero-rated chicken will have minimal impact on tax revenue, report finds
Advocates say including certain chicken products in the zero-rated food basket will directly benefit poorer households that rely on bone-in cuts and offal.
Fewer taxpayers increasingly carrying the personal income tax load
With no inflation adjustment in 2025, PIT collections rose sharply, increasing the burden on individuals without changes to the headline rates.
Open letter to Kieswetter highlights rising taxpayer frustration
The Office of the Tax Ombud is seeing the same delays, verification snags, and procedural irregularities highlighted by a tax practitioner.
Can taxpayers lose by challenging SARS? The hidden risks in transfer pricing disputes
Taxpayers challenging assessments in transfer pricing disputes face hidden risks, including the rare possibility that the Tax Court could consider increasing an assessment.
SARB softens exchange control rules, but barriers for non-residents remain
The Reserve Bank has partially reversed its exchange control changes, removing tax-clearance requirements for some non-resident income flows. However, restrictions on rental income and directors’ fees remain in place.
Courts willing to consider evidence beyond a contract’s written terms
Modern contract interpretation permits surrounding circumstances to explain contractual meaning – undermining SARS’s argument that extrinsic evidence is inadmissible.
Court tells SARS: A deal is a deal
A High Court ruling confirms that SARS must honour lawful settlement agreements and cannot rely on internal systems or administrative hurdles to escape binding terms.
Grey Apple director jailed for R3.6m tax fraud as SAPS procurement probe deepens
The conviction highlights ongoing investigations under Project Blue Lights into systemic tender manipulation and corruption within the police service.
