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99% tax returns filed electronically

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 30 Nov 2015
More South Africans opted to file their tax returns via electronic means for the 2015 tax season, says SARS.
More South Africans opted to file their tax returns via electronic means for the 2015 tax season, says SARS.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) says 99.96% of tax returns were filed electronically by the end of this year's tax season.

According to SARS acting commissioner Jonas Makwakwa, the electronic tax returns were submitted via eFiling, via electronically assisted filing at a SARS branch, or the mobile tax unit.

Some 51.84% of tax returns submitted during the tax season were via eFiling, he notes.

"No doubt this is a significant achievement. We are proud of the high level of fiscal citizenship demonstrated by taxpayers. Thank you South Africa. This tax season belongs to the millions of taxpayers that submitted their tax returns on time," says Makwakwa.

SARS also revealed 5.94 million taxpayers met the deadline for non-provisional taxpayers, which ended on Friday, 27 November.

Non-provisional taxpayers are the majority of employed individuals who submit a tax return and earn an income from one or more employer.

The 5.94 million submissions received were 11.52% higher than in 2014. This number includes individuals, trusts and prior year submissions, says Makwakwa.

"It is pleasing that millions of South African citizens agree that meeting their tax obligations is cool. This high level of compliance contributes to nation-building and enables the government to deliver services that improve the quality of life of all its citizens."

The deadline for provisional taxpayers who submit returns via eFiling is 29 January 2016.

Provisional taxpayers are those individuals with other forms of income, such as investment income, income from business activities, rental income, royalty income or directors of companies.

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