The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has warned taxpayers against applying for deductions for private household security as a form of protesting against crime.
Honest, non-suspecting taxpayers could, as a result, end up committing a crime themselves, Sars warned in a statement on Wednesday.
It said the caution ”not to be misled by irresponsible tax advice” followed public calls by lobby groups advising people ”incorrectly” on completing their returns ”in a manner of protest”.
However, the caution was described as ”hysterical” by the National Civilian Safety and Security Action (Nacissa) lobby group, which accused Sars of trying to curb South Africans’ right to apply for ”reasonable” tax deductions.
”If hundreds of thousands of South Africans apply for tax deductions for safety and security expenses it is clearly something the government should take serious note of,” said Nacissa spokesperson Conrad Beyers.
In a statement on Wednesday, Sars said the withholding of tax was a crime.
”The Income Tax Act does not allow for individuals to claim expenses for private household security from their taxable income for the last financial year.
”Any advice to the contrary has no legal basis. Sars will reject such claims from individual taxpayers,” it said.
Sars said calls on the public not to pay tax or to make unlawful claims served ”narrow political agendas” and went against the progress made in raising the levels of tax compliance.
”Sars must warn: we will not stand by idly to see taxpayers being misled by charlatans during this important time of the year when tax returns are issued, completed and submitted to Sars,” it said.
Nacissa, meanwhile, said the argument was simple: ”South Africans pay high amounts of tax every month. Part of this tax should be used to keep South African citizens, businesses and visitors reasonably safe on a permanent basis.”
It said the government had failed to protect its citizens, who were forced to incur costs to protect themselves by private means.
”Hence the government should either effectively act on curbing crime, or give tax rebates for private expenses to South Africans, since it is unacceptable that the public should pay double for ensuring their safety.”
Beyers said that instead of a government assurance that crime-fighting efforts would be stepped up, Sars was threatening the public against applying for tax rebates.
”This is a clear illustration of the government’s unsympathetic attitude towards South Africans who languish under the current crime wave.
”It is time that the South African public takes real action to force the government to combat crime effectively,” said Beyers, whose statement gave as an alternative contact the Freedom Front Plus office at the Gauteng legislature.
The deadline for the submission of income-tax returns is October 31. — Sapa