SARS still employing delaying tactics
The tax ombudsman recently made damning findings about SARS unreasonably delaying paying refunds. SARS, of course, denied that there is anything malicious in this. However, experience seems to show that they are still very much applying stalling tactics in their desperate search for funds.
A few recent cases illustrate this quite clearly.
- Completion letters received on one day, and the very next day a revised assessment with a request to upload the same supporting documents. The call centre can’t explain it!
- SARS going back to 1993 in the case of an estate late. There really is no income for them to find but they want all the “outstanding” returns. I recommend to everyone that you submit a return to SARS every year, regardless of whether or not you need to. They will insist on the “missing” returns at death!
- SARS simply declining RA and pension fund contributions, with no explanations given. They want “proof” that payments were made; the tax certificate is insufficient.
- SARS declining donations deductions. Again, no reasons given.
- More objections and delayed refunds, but I guess it is all good for their cash flow
Mr Moyane was bemoaning the fact that there once again seems to be an increasing culture of non-compliance. He is correct. There is increasing resistance to pay to SARS. But SARS need to take a good hard look in the mirror. They have broken the goodwill that was created by Mr Gordhan; and their apparent “kid-gloves” treatment of the Guptas and all others implicated in State Capture is not winning them any supporters.
We used to pay to Caesar out of a sense of “it’s the right thing to do” but this is no longer the case. Mr Moyane: you have only yourselves to blame for the mess that you are creating! The SA Public no longer trusts you and we are fed-up with being treated badly. It’s time to clean up your house!