Tag: SARS

Foreign nationals who own fixed property in South Africa and derive rental income from it are increasingly facing new compliance hurdles when accessing or transferring those funds. Recent feedback from multiple South African banks indicates tighter access to non-resident bank accounts when account holders do not meet additional tax compliance requirements. As a result, foreign property owners could temporarily find themselves out of pocket under these new banking and tax rules.

The amount South African residents can send offshore without South African Revenue Service (SARS) clearance has remained unchanged since 2011. However, that is about to change. On 25 February, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the Single Discretionary Allowance (SDA) will increase from R1 million to R2 million per person each calendar year.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) issued VAT Ruling: VR 020 – Consideration (VR 020) on 28 April 2026. The ruling addresses the Value-Added Tax (VAT) treatment of deposits received by game reserves when guests forfeit those deposits after cancelling bookings.

Two recent Tax Court judgments produced markedly different outcomes. These outcomes raised questions about condonation in the court. In particular, they highlighted uncertainty in how condonation principles apply. Practitioners often recognise this tension. However, case law rarely states it so directly.

Recent communication by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) signals an increased focus on high-wealth individuals. It highlights how these individuals fund trusts, companies and similar structures. This applies especially where arrangements may trigger donations tax exposure.

Value-Added Tax (VAT) remains one of the most powerful revenue instruments available to the South African fiscus. In practical terms, it continues to rival personal income tax as a primary contributor to government revenue. It also remains indispensable to the South African Revenue Service (SARS)’s collection mandate. This reality matters.

On 26 November 2025, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) released a draft Interpretation Note on section 7C of the Income Tax Act No. 58 of 1962. Section 7C is an anti-avoidance provision. It targets interest-free or low-interest loans used to fund trusts. The tax authority’s message is clear. There is no such thing as an informal, interest-free loan to your trust anymore. This position amounts to a direct warning to young South Africans who increasingly use trusts as wealth vehicles.

Budget Day 2026 may have lacked drama, but beneath the surface it delivered a series of quietly positive tax developments. Rather than introducing aggressive new revenue collection measures, the National Treasury opted for stability, targeted relief and structural adjustments that favour taxpayers, savers and small businesses.

Have you been living the life on social media and not telling SARS? Have you gone on overseas trips to exotic destinations? More so, have you purchased new cars, houses, expensive brand clothes, watches or jewellery? The latest legislative change spans at least 14 government bodies that can conduct lifestyle audits.

South African law requires any person who becomes liable for tax, whether income tax, VAT, or Capital Gains Tax, to register as a taxpayer with the South African Revenue Service (SARS). You must obtain a tax number. This unique identifier, issued by SARS, tracks and manages your tax obligations and compliance.