SARS Tightens the Tax Penalty Noose

Recent amendments to South Africa’s Tax Administration Act have materially strengthened SARS’s ability to impose understatement penalties on taxpayers. The changes, which came into effect on 1 April 2026, significantly narrow the scope of the bona fide inadvertent...

Trusts to be levied automated SARS penalties

SARS has intensified its compliance enforcement against trusts, introducing automated administrative penalties for non-compliant trusts with outstanding tax returns. Its compliance environment has become increasingly automated, data driven, and system integrated, with...

2026 Tax Season Tax Rules and Filing Exemptions

SARS has officially outlined the rules for the 2026 tax season, including important filing deadlines and updated guidance on which taxpayers are required to submit income tax returns. While many taxpayers will still need to file returns, SARS has confirmed that...

Assessing Business Sustainability from an Auditor’s Perspective

The issue regarding going concern and business sustainability, especially during difficult economic phases, will always remain a very relevant issue. While auditors do not guarantee sustainability, they do evaluate whether material uncertainty exists about the...

Preparing for a SARS Audit: Everything that you need to know for the 2026 Tax Season

As the 2026 tax season approaches, covering the assessment period from 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2026, most taxpayers are focused on submitting accurate and timely returns. What is often underestimated is this: compliance alone does not eliminate the possibility of...

Directors’ responsibilities in an Audit over Financial Statements

Directors are responsible for the financial statements, notwithstanding an independent audit of those statements, or outsourcing their preparation to an independent service provider. An audit does not shift responsibility from directors, it enhances it.While auditors...