Ten years has a special ring to it, and for the Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO), it represents commitment and achievement. We are excited to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the OTO, which by now has a substantial track record in serving as a free, fair recourse mechanism for South Africa’s taxpayers.
The Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) continues to receive many complaints about non-payment of refunds and delays in finalising disputes lodged. Not all complaints received within these categories are due to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) not adhering to timeframes, but rather to a lack of awareness among taxpayers about all the applicable […]
As this is the last issue of Fair Play for 2022, the editorial team has made sure it is a worthwhile read, with insights on important subjects in the tax recourse sphere, including delays in the payment of tax refunds and a new systemic issue. We also feature a farewell message from former Tax Ombud […]
Delays in the payment of tax refunds are still the most frequent complaints lodgedwith the Office of the Tax Ombud. This is despite the OTO previously compiling ahard-hitting report on the issue, together with recommendations on how the SouthAfrican Revenue Service (SARS) could resolve the matter. Now the OTO has identifiedanother SARS practice that contributes […]
Some taxpayers may be under the impression that the Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) onlyassists taxpayers with complaints against the South African Revenue Service (SARS) if there aretax refunds at stake. The case featured in this issue illustrates the OTO’s commitment to helpingresolve all complaints received, even those many taxpayers might consider insignificant.
Nine years have passed in a flash and the Fair Play editorial team is grateful to have been part of the Office of the Tax Ombud’s success over the years. With the support of stakeholders at large, the OTO has positioned itself as a brand that promotes a fair tax administration system, with taxpayers’ rights […]
In July 2022, SARS issued more than three million income tax auto-assessments to individual non-provisional taxpayers. It is crucial to understand that the process for dealing with auto-assessments is slightly different from when an income tax return is submitted manually. If the wrong procedure is followed, it could have serious consequences for taxpayers.
Comments delivered by Tax Ombud, Judge Bernard M. Ngoepe at the SAIGA ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2022. The theme of your conference is; “Step up to the mark and put citizens first”. Within the context of the above theme, the question I am asked to address specifically is: “How can South Africa overcome its obstacles”. Both the […]
When a tax complaint deals with more than one issue, it may lead to confusion at the South African Revenue Service (SARS), as the case below shows.
Welcome to our second quarter issue of Fair Play! We are excited about this issue because the Office of the Tax Ombud’s educational campaign continues to provide insights on promoting Taxpayers’ rights during the SARS’s Tax Season. The OTO’s #TaxpayersRightsMatter campaign aims to educate taxpayers about their rights, what they mean, and when they should […]