By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African Revenue Service (SARS) has introduced a range of new digital services for the 2026 tax filing season, making tax compliance simpler, faster, and more secure for millions of taxpayers.
SARS said that by 1 July 2026, more than 1.9 million taxpayers had already been auto-assessed, with approximately R8 billion in tax refunds paid within 72 hours.
The revenue service expects more than six million taxpayers to receive auto assessments this year by using information supplied by employers, banks, medical schemes, retirement funds and other third-party institutions.
This allows tax returns to be pre-populated, reducing the amount of information taxpayers need to complete themselves.
Taxpayers selected for auto assessment between 1 and 12 July have been advised not to visit SARS service centres immediately. Instead, they should wait for official communication and review their assessments through eFiling, the SARS MobiApp or other authorised digital platforms.
“Our goal is to make compliance effortless for honest taxpayers”, said Dr Johnstone Makhubu, SARS Commissioner. “Every enhancement introduced this Filing Season is designed to improve service, reduce complexity, and give taxpayers greater confidence when engaging with SARS. We want taxpayers to spend less time dealing with administration and more time benefiting from our modern digital services”.
“Through innovation, data-driven processes, and digital transformation, SARS is creating a filing experience that is simpler, faster, and more convenient”, the Commissioner said. “The objective is clear: to make it easy for taxpayers to comply while improving service, creating certainty, and fostering trust in the tax system”.
Although SARS has strengthened its digital services and security controls, the Commissioner cautioned taxpayers to remain vigilant against scams, phishing attacks, fake refund schemes, and unregistered tax practitioners who frequently target taxpayers during Filing Season.
SARS will never request passwords, one-time pins (OTPs), banking PINs, or eFiling login credentials through email, SMS, social media, or telephone. Taxpayers must use only official SARS channels and verify the credentials of any tax practitioner before sharing personal information.
“Taxpayers should be cautious of anyone who guarantees a refund or requests sensitive information without proper verification. Protecting personal information remains a shared responsibility between SARS and taxpayers”, Makhubu warned.
He added: “Filing Season 2026 demonstrates the progress SARS continues to make in modernising tax administration and improving the taxpayer experience. Through enhanced Auto Assessments, stronger digital platforms, improved security, expanded self-service channels, and innovative solutions such as WhatsApp functionality, we are making compliance easier than ever before”.
“Our message to taxpayers is simple: make use of these digital services, trust the official SARS channels, and let the technology work for you. The easier we make compliance, the stronger our tax ecosystem becomes for everyone”.