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.
VAT
Tax Court faults SARS in R158m VAT case over legal insurance fund
SARS’s stance on input VAT was overturned after the court found the fund to be the principal in an insurance agreement – not merely an agent.
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.
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.
SARS’s enhanced compliance efforts add R301.5bn to revenue
The South African Revenue Service outperformed its revised estimates for 2024/25, buoyed by strong personal income tax, VAT, and company income tax collections.
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.
How SARS arrives at R800bn in uncollected tax
Commissioner Edward Kieswetter explains to Parliament why ‘between R700bn and R800bn is not an unreasonable amount’.
Two (?) VAT hikes and no adjustments to the income tax brackets
A comprehensive round-up of the tax proposals affecting individual taxpayers and consumers.
Taxed out: why South Africa’s spending problem can’t be ignored
Experts slam the idea of a VAT increase, pointing to a record tax burden and bloated expenditure. From uncollected billions to inefficient governance, the real fix lies in reining in waste, not squeezing taxpayers.
Proposed VAT increase: fiscal necessity or economic catastrophe?
Instead of hiking VAT, the government could fix its tax collection problems, improve state resource management, and stimulate the economy to boost revenue.
Will a 2% VAT hike fix the Budget – or break consumers?
The VAT hike could add R58bn to government revenue, but with coalition partners clashing over its impact on ordinary South Africans, the debate over how to fund critical services without deepening the cost-of-living crisis is far from settled.
Tax adjustments, debt concerns, and relief measures: a look at the Budget that wasn’t
A postponed Budget Speech means uncertainty for taxpayers, but the VAT hike and personal income tax adjustments offer insight into the government’s fiscal strategy.
Tax collections miss forecasts – will taxpayers bear the burden?
A dip in corporate and VAT revenues has left a R10bn hole in expected tax collections. As the Budget approaches, Treasury faces a difficult balancing act.
Be aware of the difficulties when dealing with tax debt in business rescue
Can a creditor lose their right to enforce post-commencement debt? A High Court case sheds light on the fine print of business rescue rules and SARS’s role in enforcing tax obligations.
Criminal liability for small businesses that fail to register for VAT
Exceeding the R1m threshold without registering could have serious consequences for businesses. SARS is stepping up enforcement, with a wave of cases landing in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
SARS will tighten the compliance screws to hit R1.84 trillion tax target
The MTBPS shows tax revenue will be below the Budget estimates, but SARS is adamant it will do everything in its power to collect as much money as it can.
