In a recent Tax Court decision[1], the Tax Court confirmed that taxpayers have a right to have their disputes resolved in a court of law as enunciated in section 34 of the Constitution. However, they cannot rely on this right
SARS scams
Education and awareness around identity theft, phishing and other frauds have become part of life globally. If nothing else, scamsters are innovative and keep trying new avenues of defrauding businesses and individuals. In South Africa, this is no exception, and
Fixed and reimbursive travel allowances
When determining the best remuneration package for travelling employees, South African employers and employees are continuously considering the benefits between a travel allowance, a reimbursive travel allowance or both. For this purpose, the employees’ tax (“PAYE’’) and income tax consequences
The timing of business financing
Sufficient cash flows to enable a business to function at optimal levels during a financial cycle is paramount. Whether you have a seasonal business, are anticipating higher sale volumes during holidays or when you need just a little bit of
Management’s responsibility
Throughout the audit of a set of financial statements, the phrase “management/director’s responsibility” appears. It is included in the engagement letter, the financial statements and the auditor’s report. But what does it mean? Management is responsible for the management of
Changing banking details with SARS
In order to prevent fraud, the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) requires confirmation of new or any changes to existing banking details and will only process any refunds due once these new details have been verified. (This often leads to
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency and blockchain has been the hot topic in the media the past year. It is a concept that few truly understand, and could change the future for everyone in a major way. But what is cryptocurrency and blockchain? Per
Budget 2018: It’s a numbers game
South Africa’s budget paints a very interesting picture when one drills down into the numbers involved. The annual national budget presented in Parliament on 21 February 2018 by Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba presented South Africa’s biggest budget yet, providing for
Interest free loans and trusts
The recent introduction of section 7C to the Income Tax Act[1] brought the taxation of trusts, and the funding thereof specifically, under the spotlight again. Briefly, section 7C seeks to levy donations tax on loans owing by trusts to connected
Proposed tax amendments for venture capital investments
The latest round of legislative amendments proposed by National Treasury and released for public comment on 8 July 2016 contains a welcome concession for taxpayers looking to invest into approved venture capital companies. Briefly, investors investing into qualifying venture capital