The South African Revenue Service (Sars) launched its annual tax-filing season on Monday in a bid to encourage the country’s 4,5-million taxpayers to get their returns in by July 8.
Speaking at the launch at the Old Mutual head office in Cape Town, Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel said this figure includes 2,4-million individual taxpayers.
From now until July 8, Sars will set up booths at shopping malls and taxi ranks so people can get help if they need it.
”It’s important that we recognise the role that tax plays in providing democracy to all citizens, and [that] it’s a good and necessary thing,” he said.
Sars said in a statement that more than two million returns were submitted by the July deadline last year, and it hopes to improve on this performance.
A positive response to this year’s season will contribute to Sars meeting its ”formidable” revenue target of R372-billion for the current financial year.
It said all registered taxpayers should by now have received their tax returns in the post.
Assistance, including answers to a range of frequently asked tax questions, is available on a specially developed website at www.sars.gov.za. — Sapa