registrations
25 April 2007
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today added more than 1 000 new
applications to the Small Business Tax Amnesty process through an extensive
registration campaign across the country. Several thousand SARS officials were
joined by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and officials from
the Department of Home Affairs in 30 towns and cities where 4 160 small
businesses were visited. By 15h00 today 1 106 new applications for amnesty were
received while 2 218 application forms were handed out to businesses.
The registration programme will continue until Thursday, 31 May 2007 the
deadline for the Small Business Tax Amnesty period. While the amnesty programme
has the primary focus of broadening the tax base by including businesses that
have never registered for tax or businesses that owe SARS outstanding tax, SARS
will continue its enforcement activities in instances of non-compliance with
the law.
Arising from work already done on the amnesty, 39 small business owners
appeared in the Durban magistrate's court for failing to submit tax returns.
Three properties of businesses were also attached while 56 summonses were
issued for outstanding returns due to SARS. At the same time customs officials
confiscated 950 master cases of illicit cigarettes en route to
Johannesburg.
In Gauteng, the Western Cape, Free State and Mpumalanga a number of illegal
immigrants were detained by Home Affairs officials while counterfeit cigarettes
and other illicit products were confiscated. These efforts registration and
enforcement must complement the policy and legislative interventions SARS has
already put in place to broaden the scope of the amnesty. Regulations
prescribing the circumstances under which SARS may waive additional tax,
interest and penalties for qualifying small businesses were published in the
Government Gazette on Friday, 20 April 2007. These regulations took effect on
publication. It allows for small businesses to apply to SARS to have additional
tax, interest and penalties waived.
Such businesses may already be registered taxpayers and this category was
initially excluded from the amnesty legislation. SARS is confident that its
engagement with businesses on various levels and various forums will contribute
to a successful amnesty process.
Enquiries:
Adrian Lackay
SARS Communications
Tel: 012 422 4206
Cell: 083 388 2580
Issued by: South African Revenue Service
25 April 2007
