Follow due process, yes – but be reasonable!

Condonation for the late filing of legal documentation depends on whether the interests of justice will be served by the court granting such condonation In taxpayer  M v CSARS (Case Number VAT1826) heard by the Gauteng Tax court, Windell, J handed down an important decision regarding the validity of a default notice (and the resultant […]

The effect of past transactions on the sale of a business

The sale of a business is often a complex venture and requires consideration of various facts in examining the financial reality behind the sale. From the outset, it is important to consider historical transactions and how they may have a detrimental impact on the current sale being considered. For purposes of this article, several factors […]

Lenders of money are not all ‘money lenders’

Taxpayers’ actions need to back up what they claim to be In many groups of companies, intra-group loans make sense as a way of funding the operations of the group. If the funds are sourced from outside the group by a borrower entity and then on-lent to other companies within the same group as the […]

Correction of an assessment: Section 93

As portrayed in the Tax Administration Act No 28 of 2011 (TAA), the dispute resolution rules lay out the legal framework to be followed by both the taxpayer and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to resolve disputes. Section 93 of the TAA lists a number of circumstances under which SARS can reduce a taxpayer’s […]

Are civil judgments susceptible to rescission?

On 11 March 2022, the Constitutional Court (CC) of South Africa granted leave to appeal and set aside an order from the High Court of South Africa (HC), Western Cape Division. The issue before the court in Barnard Labuschagne Incorporated v SARS was whether a certified statement filed by SARS that is treated as a […]

Disputing SARS decision and assessments

A taxpayer who is aggrieved by an assessment or decision of SARS against that taxpayer has the right to dispute that assessment or decision. If an original assessment has not been issued, SARS may request a taxpayer to submit an amended return to correct an undisputed error made in the prior return. In the case […]

Why do I need to know my rights as a taxpayer?

Since the introduction of the Tax Administration Act in 2011, which aimed to consolidate most of the administrative matters in tax acts, taxpayers have become ever more aware of their rights in dealing with the South African Revenue Service (SARS). There has also been a significant increase in the number of cases in the Tax Court (as […]

Auditing your tax compliance profile

Taxpayers who make use of the South African Revenue Service’s (SARS) electronic filing system (or as it is generally known, eFiling) will know that, in addition to containing a history of income returns, value-added tax, pay-as-you-earn, etc., a significant amount of personal and company data is stored on the platform. This includes information such as banking details, a person’s physical address, email addresses, and relevant contact persons for […]

Rescission of judgments by SARS: Barnard Labuschagne Inc v SARS

The judgment deals with an application for rescission of a judgment by Barnard Labuschagne (Applicant), where SARS took judgment under the provisions of chapter 11 of the Tax Administration Act (TAA). SARS filed a certified statement in terms of Section 172 of the TAA with the Registrar of the Court, setting out an amount of […]

Can a third party collect my taxes?

Decisions of South Africa’s courts are an essential source of law. The courts uphold and enforce the Constitution and develop common law that is consistent with the values of the Constitution, and the spirit and purpose of the Bill of Rights. In a taxation context, court decisions assist in how legislation must be interpreted or […]