The launch of an online tax-filing facility was delayed after pilot tests revealed system flaws, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) said on Monday.
”We are … not prepared to offer any service where we are not happy with the quality and cannot guarantee a pleasant experience for all taxpayers. We expect the eFiling facility to be functional next week,” said Sars in a statement.
The eFiling system worked well when it was opened to a limited group of taxpayers. However, when the facility was opened to a larger pool of taxpayers, ”performance problems” with the system were noted.
The eFiling channel for individual tax returns — scheduled to open on Monday — would now only be available next week, Sars announced.
The normal eFiling facility for companies, including VAT and PAYE, was unaffected.
People could still manually return their tax forms or come into Sars offices to complete them electronically.
Last Friday, Sars commissioner Pravin Gordhan told a press conference the R40-million online filing system would enable taxpayers to have their assessments done easier and faster. — Sapa