By Minister Des Van Rooyen
The South African Revenue Services (SARS) continues to be efficient and effective in its work of collecting revenue in the country, and for the year ending February 2016, SARS achieved the highest ever collection of revenue of R1.069 trillion.
This success by SARS followed the appointment of the new commissioner Mr Tom Moyane who is now leading SARS and steering the ship forward. Upon his appointment, the new commissioner introduced the new operating model which was vetted by the then Minister of Finance Mr Nhlanhla Nene.
This new operating model became a perfect response to the challenges as SARS had to implement its strategies within the backdrop of the global economic slowdown which has also impacted on the South African economy.
Despite the seemingly insurmountable hurdles posed by the global economy and the concomitant significant downward revisions to the South African economic outlook, the challenging revenue target for the financial year 2015/16, SARS was able to deliver beyond expectations.
This important institution of our government was able to rise above all the challenges that included a sustained barrage of vitriolic negative media reportage. With the global economy still not stable, there remain many pockets of uncertainty and many risks to the world's economic outlook.
This outperformance by SARS for 2015/16 was made possible by its efficiency and focused leadership that was able to mobilise the entire staff complement behind the common goals of attaining the revenue target.
As a country we see our success and development through SARS which is able to collect revenue to fund our development needs. SARS continues to act without fear or favour in ensuring full compliance with the law by all South Africans in an effort to afford the country an opportunity to meet its development goals.
SARS has, without flattery or exaggeration, become one of the most efficient, effective, highly regarded, fair and trusted institutions of state. This impeccable record of SARS and its ability to collect revenue even in difficult times, also contributed to decision of the rating agencies not to downgrade our country.
The above assertion confirms our success and development as a country that is made possible by the ability of SARS to continue to collect revenue to fund our needs as a country. With the global economy still causing havoc and some countries still rooted in this crises, it is our responsibility as the country to work closely with SARS to move South Africa forward.
I know that even within the context of trying to achieve this key objective, there still remain many pockets of uncertainty and many risks to the world's economic outlook. SARS, under the Commissioner’s stewardship, is a shining beacon of good governance and continues to upscale the hard-won reputation of the institution. This institution continues to build a credible, objective, apolitical and non-partisan institution of state that plays a positive role in the realisation of the key goals of the National Development Plan (NDP).
Speaking at the SARS Amakhwezi Awards, His Excellency President Jacob Zuma once said that the ability to collect revenue from citizens and to finance the provision of services was one of the "key defining" features of a capable state, adding that SARS plays a huge role in helping the government achieve its goals. I am confident that through hard work, SARS will continues to grow from strength to strength, delivering line with President Zuma’s views.
Through its efficient systems in place, SARS continues to act without fear or favour in ensuring full compliance with the law by all South Africans in an effort to afford the country an opportunity to meet its development goals.
The SARS tax collection numbers of April 1, 2016 shows that South Africa is not as doomed some will deem it to be. In fact, South Africa is leapfrogging other BRICS countries like Brazil in revenue collection during these arduous times.
Indeed SARS continues to assess the local economy and aggressively identifying revenue enhancement opportunities. This means that SARS is continuing to strengthen South Africa's economy in the face of "gloomy" and vulnerable world economic markets.
To this effect, we all have a responsibility to support this hard work of SARS by ensuring that we all file our tax returns and on time. Remember, this is a right thing to do.
Des Van Rooyen is the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
