Could Starlink and the Like Shape the VAT Debate in the 2026 Budget and Beyond?
With the 2026 Budget Speech set for 25 February, one issue is all but guaranteed to resurface: VAT.
Trusts Firmly on SARS’ Enforcement Radar: Final Letters of Demand Now in Play
South African trusts and trustees are entering a far more unforgiving tax enforcement environment. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has shifted from a lenient approach to a more formalised and assertive regime of administrative non‑compliance penalties under the Tax Administration Act No. 28 of 2011 (TAA).
R523 Billion and Counting: SARS Collection Inevitable
South Africa’s tax system is sending a message that cannot be ignored. SARS have confirmed the figures as at December 2025, recording an undisputed tax debt book in the region of R523 billion. This is not estimated revenue, nor is it tax under dispute. It is money that SARS accepts is legally due, final and […]
What SARB’s Rule Changes Mean for Your Offshore Transfers
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has adjusted the operation of the Single Discretionary Allowance (SDA) regime for South Africans transferring funds abroad, now allowing greater flexibility for bona fide current transfers above the R1 million annual threshold.
The Tax Trap: Distinguishing Fraud from Enforcement
Scammers seldom announce themselves with force or warning. There is no knock at the door and no prior engagement. This is particularly true when scammers use SARS branding to try and coerce a taxpayer into making payment to the scammers.
Immigration Reform or Tax Overreach by Stealth?
Why Home Affairs’ latest proposal should alarm investors, foreign nationals and National Treasury alike The Department of Home Affairs’ White Paper on Immigration Reform, published on 12 December 2025, presents itself as a long overdue modernisation of South Africa’s immigration system. Artificial intelligence, digitisation, streamlined skills visas and clearer pathways to permanent residence all sound […]
SARS Modernisation 3.0 – Compliance Crackdown in the Age of AI
In its relentless pursuit of tax compliance, SARS has launched a series of initiatives aimed at streamlining tax processes through various automation enhancements. This includes the identification of specific areas of focus, to enhance detection, enforcement and voluntary compliance – enter SARS Modernisation 3.0.
New Law In 2026 For 14 Government Bodies To Perform “Lifestyle Audits” And Report The Rich To SARS
Have you been living the life on social media and not telling SARS? Gone on overseas trips to exotic destinations? Purchased new cars, houses, expensive brand clothes, watches, jewellery etc.? The latest legislative change spans at least 14 new government departments who can conduct lifestyle audits. This is coupled with mandatory information-sharing across a wide […]
VAT in South Africa 2026: The Revenue Engine SARS Will Defend at Any Cost
VAT remains one of the most powerful revenue instruments available to the South African fiscus. In practical terms, it continues to rival personal income tax as a primary contributor to government revenue and remains indispensable to SARS’s collection mandate. This reality matters.
No Bank, No Bucks: SARS Refunds Stalled for Many South African Expats
“Your Income Tax refund is on hold because your banking details on SARS records are invalid.” Hardly the message one hopes to receive from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) at the start of a new year. Yet, this scenario is becoming increasingly common, particularly among South African expats and former residents who have left […]