The difference a ”revitalised” South African Revenue Service (Sars) had made to the country’s economic landscape was remarkable, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said on Monday.
Speaking at an international tax conference in Cape Town, he said that from the 1995/96 to 2001/2 financial year, Sars had collected R52-billion in additional revenue.
Key changes, started in 1994 and part of the revitalising process included attracting competent people; the use of modern information technology; and the adoption of more efficient structures, as well as incentive schemes.
On South Africa’s growth outlook, Manuel told reporters this had ”significantly improved” in recent weeks, and government was likely to revise its economic forecasts in February if this was sustained.
”Circumstances have changed, so the growth outlook is considerably improved. We will be in a position to indicate stronger macro-economic variables, including a significantly improved growth forecast in the February budget,” Manuel was reported as saying. – Sapa