SAICA has asked National Treasury to clarify how provisional taxpayer status is determined and to provide relief where obligations only become clear after year-end. The proposal is not law, but it highlights practical cash-flow and compliance risks for businesses with irregular income.
SARS has reminded small businesses that using a tax practitioner does not transfer responsibility for the accuracy of submissions. SMEs should strengthen their practitioner checks and approval controls.
A recent High Court decision shows how SARS may seek to preserve and realise property linked to unpaid tax while legal proceedings continue. South African finance teams should treat tax-debt monitoring and asset records as core controls.
A new SAICA VAT registration FAQ highlights the need for SMEs to reassess turnover, registration status and supporting records under South Africa’s 2026 VAT thresholds.
SARS has updated its Guide for Provisional Tax to explain how it may challenge unsupported estimates. Businesses should ensure their provisional tax calculations can be justified and that supporting records can be supplied within 10 business days.
SARS’s updated 2026 guidance means qualifying micro-businesses with annual turnover of up to R2.3 million should reassess whether Turnover Tax remains suitable for their structure, records and growth plans.
Businesses that submit third-party data to SARS have until 31 October 2026 to report information for the period ended 31 August. Accurate data matters because SARS uses it to pre-populate and assess tax returns.
A recent SARS investigation into alleged VAT refund fraud is a timely reminder for South African businesses to strengthen VAT records, approval controls and supporting-document checks.
SARS is consulting on a proposed digital VAT model involving e-invoicing, secure data exchange and e-reporting. No mandatory implementation date has been confirmed, but South African VAT vendors should begin assessing their systems before the consultation closes on 16 October 2026.
SARS has introduced several changes to the 2026 trust income-tax return process. Trustees and tax representatives should review their records now, rather than waiting until the 22 January 2027 filing deadline.