Small business owners have until 1pm on Saturday to submit their 2006 tax return and financial statements in support of their applications for the small business tax amnesty.
”The South African Revenue Service [Sars] is encouraged by the number of queries and visits to our offices in the past week,” it said on Friday.
Sars will therefore keep their offices open until 6pm on Friday, and in a further effort to assist clients, Sars will also accept documents at its offices between 7.30am and 1pm on Saturday.
”Sars has been made aware, through tax-practitioner bodies, that many of their clients who have applied for the amnesty have been unable to obtain relevant documents from third parties such as financial institutions and other sources.”
It was for this reason that Sars had agreed to consider requests for further time to submit outstanding documents.
”This is not a general extension. Only those applicants who advance legitimate reasons will qualify for the extra time.”
Sars will consider each case on its merits. Amnesty applicants or their tax representatives have to submit their names and reasons to Sars offices by 1pm on Saturday if they wanted to be considered for this concession.
”We appeal to all those who have applied to please use this final opportunity to comply with the amnesty requirements. Failure to do so could lead to prosecution for tax violation.”
Taxpayers were reminded that it was their responsibility to ensure compliance with the country’s tax laws.
Small businesses with a turnover of less than R10-million qualified for the amnesty. — Sapa