Staff Reporter.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has extended the filing season deadline for non-provisional individual taxpayers from 23 November 2021 to 2 December 2021.
In a statement, the revenue collector on Tuesday said the week-long extension was to accommodate taxpayers whose tax filing was affected by various challenges beyond their control.
“SARS is acutely aware of systemic issues the organisation has experienced, as well as the impact of load shedding on taxpayers, which made it difficult for taxpayers to file their returns.”
As a result, SARS said the date for levying of penalties on taxpayers, who had not filed their returns, would be extended and implemented in January 2022.
SARS in the statement urged taxpayers to use its convenient digital channels, namely, eFiling, SARS MobiApp, as well as the SMS service, which has the number 47277.
“By sending an SMS to this number, taxpayers can book an appointment at a SARS branch, check if they need to file a return and other services.
“The SARS website has also been upgraded to allow for more digital services to taxpayers. For more information on these services, visit www.sars.gov.za,” it said.
SARS said it “remains committed to make it simple and easy for taxpayers to meet their legal obligations and hopes that the extension of the filing season deadline will encourage greater compliance among taxpayers”.
Despite the deadline extension, SARS said there had up to date been an “overwhelming response” from taxpayers who have submitted their personal income tax returns since 1 July this year.
SARS thanked these taxpayers for responding to its strategic intent of promoting a culture of voluntary compliance.
Meanwhile Commissioner Edward Kieswetter says the South African Revenue Service (SARS) was progressing well in its journey of rebuilding “a smart, modern SARS” with “unquestionable integrity” that was “trusted and admired.
The Commissioner made the comments during the recent Africa Initiative and OECD Global Forum plenary on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes.
He said: “Key to this is augmenting our human capabilities by leveraging enabling technologies and data through artificial intelligence with use of sophisticated machine learning algorithms.
“As we are increasing and expanding the use of data, EOI and AEOI form a valuable data source that supplements our vast third-party data repository enabling the detection of taxpayers and traders who do not comply. Non-compliance would be hard and costly, therefore I urge taxpayers and traders to do the right thing and voluntarily comply.”