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- Joint SARS Customs and SAPS operations leads to arrest of Johannesburg couple – 13 January 2010
Johannesburg, 13 January 2009 – A joint operation between South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs and the South African Police Service (SAPS) resulted in the arrest of a Johannesburg couple suspected to have been in possession of endangered species, illicit goods.
- South African Trade Statistics for December 2009 – 29 January 2010
Pretoria, 29 January 2010 — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for December 2009 that record a trade surplus of R3.7 billion.
- SARS to extend office hours – 23 February 2010
Pretoria, 23 February 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) will extend its operating hours at all branch offices on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 February 2010. Branch offices will open at 07:30am and close at 17:00am to facilitate taxpayers in meeting their payment deadlines
- SARS reminds taxpayers with car allowance to record their odometer readings – 24 February 2010
Pretoria, 24 February 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) would like to remind all those taxpayers who receive a travel allowance to record their odometer readings by Sunday 28 February 2010 for the 2009/10 tax year.
- South African Trade Statistics for January 2010 – 26 February 2010
Pretoria, 26 February 2010 — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for January 2010 that record a trade deficit of R3.3 billion.
- 32kg seizure of Khat continues a busy week for SARS Customs Officials – 4 March 2010
Pretoria, 04 March 2010 – The South African Revenue Service’s (SARS) Customs detector dogs and handlers at OR Tambo International seized 32kg of Khat with an estimated street value of R4, 1 million on Monday afternoon. Khat contains cathinone which is similar to ephedrine and is a classified as a narcotic in South Africa, therefore prohibited.
- SARS Launches New Employer Monthly Declaration form (EMP201) Form – 11 March 2010 Pretoria, 11 March 2010 – Employers submitting their monthly declarations (EMP201s) to the South African Revenue Service will be required to do so using a new EMP201 form for the March declaration, due on 7 April.
- SARS Customs detains suspected 2010 related clothing – 17 March 2010
Durban, 17 March 2010 – SARS Customs Border Control & Dog Unit officials detained items of clothing, including 2010 related apparel today.
- SARS announces changes to cheque deposits – 17 March 2010
Pretoria, 17 March 2010 – From 1 April 2010, the South African Revenue Service will NO LONGER accept cheque payments made using the abbreviation ‘SARS’. All cheques must from 1 April 2010 be made out to “South African Revenue Service”.
- Tax Statistics 2009 – 18 March 2010
PRETORIA, 18 MARCH 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) and National Treasury today release the 2009 Tax Statistics publication which builds and expands on the first publication in 2008.
- SARS Employees heed Governments call to assist victims of Haiti disaster – 24 March 2010
Pretoria, 23 March 2010 – The Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service (SARS), Oupa Magashula will officially handover a cheque of R60 554.35 to the South African Red Cross Society on the 25 March 2010.
- SARS official nabbed for attempting to solicit a bribe from taxpayers – 25 March 2010
Pretoria 24 March 2010 – A SARS official and an accomplice(posing as a SARS employee) have appeared in a Port Elizabeth court on the 23 March 2010 for attempting to solicit a bribe from a Port Elizabeth couple for assistance with their tax problems.
- Search and Seizure at Hartebeespoort Dam – 29 March 2010
Pretoria, March 29 2010 – Investigators from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) today carried out search and seizure warrants at a business premises in the Hartebeespoort Dam area.
- South African Trade Statistics for February 2010 – 31 March 2010
Pretoria, 31 March 2010 — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for February 2010 that record a trade deficit of R5.7 billion.
- Media Statement by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Pravin Gordhan, on the Preliminary Revenue Results for the 2009/10 Fiscal Year – 1 April 2010
Johannesburg, 1 April 2010 – The past financial year has been one of the most challenging periods for South Africa’s economy as the full effects of the global economic downturn constrained growth and led to steep reductions in tax revenue.
- Western-Cape VAT fraudster drops leave to appeal against 10-year sentence – 20 April 2010
Pretoria, 20 April 2010 – A labour broker found guilty on 4228 counts of fraud amounting to R6, 4 million for issuing false VAT invoices will now have to serve his full 10 year sentence in prison.
- SARS announces publication of prescribed list and diagnosis for disability – 21 April 2010
Pretoria, 20 April 2010 – The Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service (SARS) today announced the publication of the prescribed list of qualifying expenses relating to physical impairment or disability and the diagnostic criteria for of disability.
- SARS Customs detains almost 27 000 counterfeit soccer jerseys – 28 April 2010
Pretoria, 28 April 2010 – South African Revenue Service Customs Border Control officers stationed at OR Tambo International Airport reported the detention of 26 984 counterfeit Bafana Bafana Jerseys over the past 11 days.
- South African Trade Statistics for March 2010 – 30 April 2010
Pretoria, 30 April 2010 — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for March 2010 that record a trade surplus of R0.46 billion.
- Two arrested in connection with R189m VAT refund fraud – 7 May 2010
Pretoria, 07 May 2010 – South African Revenue Service (SARS) enforcement officials along with the South African Police Service (SAPS) yesterday arrested two individuals in Randburg for their involvement in VAT fraud amounting to R189m.
- SARS Customs officials detain 48 000 suspected counterfeit jerseys – 14 May 2010
Durban, 14 May 2010 – South African Revenue Services (SARS) Customs officials operating at Durban harbour detained a container with 48000 counterfeit South Africa football jerseys yesterday.
- SARS Kimberley office changes location – 28 May 2010
Kimberley, 28 May 2010 – The Kimberley branch office of the South African Revenue Service will be moving to a new location as of Monday 31 May 2010.
- South African Trade Release for April 2010 – 31 May 2010
Pretoria, 31 May 2010 — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for April 2010 that record a trade deficit of R1.9 billion.
- Accused pleads guilty to charges of possession and dealing in illicit goods – 1 June 2010
Durban 01 June 2010 – Darwood Moosa a 23 year-old South African male pleaded guilty to charges of possession and dealing in illicit goods in the Durban Regional Court on 27 May 2010. Mr. Moosa, sold 18 master cases or 9000 packets of cigarettes for R20 000, which did not have diamond stamp impression on the packets.
- SARS Customs officials detain 33 000 suspected counterfeit Bafana Bafana jerseys – 2 June 2010
Durban, 02 June 2010 – South African Revenue Services (SARS) Customs officials operating at Durban harbour detained a container with 33 000 suspected counterfeit South African football jerseys on Friday, 28 May 2010. The consignment of jerseys is valued at just under R20 million and is based on the price appearing on the tag accompanying each jersey.
- Two more busts nets R17 million’s suspected counterfeit soccer shirts – 4 June 2010
Johannesburg, 04 June 2010 – Investigators and Customs officers from the South African Revenue Service made another significant detention of suspected counterfeit World Cup related items. This is the second major operation carried out by SARS officials in the Johannesburg city district this week.
- 500 000 DVD’s worth R27 million destroyed – 4 June 2010
Pretoria, June 04 2010 – South African Revenue Service (SARS) officials observed the destruction of close to 500 000 pirated films with an estimated value of approximately R27 million at a metal and plastic recycling plant in Brakpan on Wednesday.
- 15750 Suspected counterfeit jersey’s detained at Kopfontein Border Post – 8 June 2010
Pretoria, 08 June 2010 – South African Revenue Service Customs officials at Kopfontein Border Post detained 15 750 suspected counterfeit Bafana Bafana jerseys. The consignment valued at R9, 43 million was detained at the Border post with Botswana after an inspection was conducted as a result of mis-declaration (declared as shoes) to SARS Customs
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Pretoria, 10 June 2010 – In view of the importance of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for South Africa, its people and for nation building, draft legislation released today proposes a once-off de minimis exemption of R750 on 2010 FIFA World Cup related items provided by employers to their employees.
- SARS and SAPS seize R25, 6m of narcotics – 14 June 2010
Pretoria, 14 June 2010 – South African Revenue Service Enforcement and Customs officials carried out a joint operation with the South African Police Service Counter Intelligence division and the Asset Forfeiture Unit seizing narcotics with an estimated street value of R25,6-million.
- 3 men arrested for attempted smuggling of 48, 3kg of rhino horn valued at R 2 416 750 – 15 June 2010
Pretoria 15 June 2010 – Three individuals were arrested last week in three days for the attempted smuggling of rhino horn out of South Africa at OR Tambo International Airport.
- SARS Introduces new VAT 201 form – 28 June 2010
Pretoria 28 June 2010 – The South African Revenue Service has announced that a new form for the Remittance of Value Added Tax (VAT) would be available as from today.
- South African Trade Release for May 2010 – 30 June 2010
Pretoria, 30 June 2010 — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for May 2010 that record a trade deficit of R0.30 billion.
- South African gets World Customs post – 30 June 2010
Pretoria, 30 June 2010 – The South African Revenue Service is proud to announce that one of its senior officials, Mr Erich Kieck, who is the Group Executive: Customs Strategy and Policy at SARS, has been elected to head capacity building at the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
- Launch of Tax Season 2010 – 1 July 2010
Launch of Tax Season 2010
- Deductions from salaries and bank accounts – 8 July 2010
Pretoria, 8 July 2010 – Following numerous queries regarding the announcement that SARS intends to deduct unpaid administrative penalties from salaries and bank accounts beginning in September, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) would like to reassure taxpayers that this planned step is a last resort that affects only a minority of non-compliant taxpayers.
- Free State farmer faces jail sentence after failing to pay VAT to SARS – 27 July 2010
Bloemfontein, 27 July 2010 – Michael George Burgess from the Tweespruit district in the Free State was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for failure to pay over Value Added Tax to the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
- First phase of Customs Modernisation programme set for roll-out from October 2010 – 29 July 2010
Pretoria, 29 July 2010 – SARS Customs will begin implementing the first phase of a multi-year modernisation programme aimed at significantly enhancing both the efficiency and security of the supply chain from October 2010.
- South African Trade Statistics for June 2010 – 30 July 2010
Pretoria, 30 July 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for June 2010 that record a trade surplus of R5.6 billion.
- Update on 2010 Tax Season – More than 761 000 taxpayers heed the call to file early – 4 August 2010
Pretoria, 04 August 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has to date received 761 231 tax returns from individual taxpayers for the first month of Tax Season 2010.
- R4 million worth of abalone confiscated – 16 August 2010
Pretoria, 16 August 2010 – Investigators of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) confiscated 1.6 million tons (28 764 individual animals) of abalone (perlemoen) with an estimated value of R4 million this weekend, that was in the process of being smuggled out of South Africa on a commercial container vessel.
- SARS officials to assist taxpayers in their communities – 26 August 2010
SARS officials to assist taxpayers in their communities
- South African Trade Statistics for July 2010 – 31 August 2010
Pretoria, 31 August 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for July 2010 that record a trade surplus of R2.0 billion.
- Filing period for Interim PAYE Reconciliation for Employers begins – 1 September 2010
Pretoria, 1 September 2010 – Today marks the beginning of the Interim process for Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) reconciliations for the country’s employers, which is the first step in registering all employees in the formal sector for income tax, as announced earlier this year by the Minister of Finance Mr Pravin Gordhan, in the 2010 Budget.
- Go-Live Date for New Declaration Process Postponed to 1 November 2010 – 27 September 2010
Pretoria, 27 September 2010 – A joint decision was taken by key members of trade and SARS last Thursday that the go-live date for the new declaration process would be postponed from 1 October until 1 November 2010.
- Urgent Notice to Taxpayers – Possible Service delays at Branch Offices – 30 September 2010
Pretoria, 30 September 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) wants to alert taxpayers of possible delays at branch offices around the country due to unexpected IT problems which have affected certain taxpayer services during the course of the morning.
- South African Trade Statistics for August 2010 – 30 September 2010
Pretoria, 30 September 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for August 2010 that record a trade deficit of R4.7 billion.
- Substantial Settlement Agreements reached – 5 October 2010
Pretoria, 5 October 2010 – SARS is pleased to announce that it has entered into settlement agreements to resolve disputes with major institutions regarding cross-border transactions bearing the characteristics discussed below.
- SARS clamps down on illegal second-hand-car importers – 8 October 2010
Pretoria, 08 October 2010 – Members of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), along with the South African Police Service (SAPS), Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Home Affairs today ended a week long joint operation targeting illegal second hand vehicle importers in Durban.
- SARS and Hawks rescue vulnerable species from wildlife trafficking – 29 October 2010
Pretoria, 29 October 2010 – A pangolin (or scaly anteater) which was destined for wildlife trafficking has been rescued and released into the wild – thanks to officials from South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Hawks.
- South African Trade Statistics for September 2010 – 29 October 2010
Pretoria, 29 October 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for September 2010 that record a trade surplus of R3.6 billion, compared to a deficit of R4.7 billion in August 2010.
- Combating Tax Fraud – Arrest of three suspects – 4 November 2010
Pretoria, 4 November 2010 – Investigations by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) over the past six months to combat Personal Income Tax (PIT) fraud resulted in the arrest of three suspects in Pretoria this morning.
- Joint Media Release – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Invite Applications for the Voluntary Disclosure Programme – 5 November 2010
Pretoria, 5 November 2010 – Individuals and corporate entities who took funds offshore illegally and those who defaulted on their tax affairs now have the opportunity in terms of the Voluntary Disclosure Programme, to regularise their affairs in instances where Exchange Control contraventions or tax defaults have occurred.
- Final Week of Filing for Non-Provisional Taxpayers – 23 November 2010
Pretoria, 22 November 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) wants to remind taxpayers that Friday, 26 November 2010, is the deadline by which the majority of taxpayers in the country must submit their annual income tax return to SARS
- South African Trade Statistics for October 2010 – 30 November 2010
Pretoria, 30 November 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for October 2010 that record a trade deficit of R3.2 billion, compared to a surplus of R3.6 billion in September 2010.
- SARS opens Edenvale office – 1 December 2010
Pretoria, 1 December 2010 – Following a successful 2010 Tax Season which saw millions of taxpayers filing their tax returns on time, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is expanding its footprint through the opening of a new branch in Edenvale, Johannesburg.
- Preliminary Outcome of the 2010 Tax Season – 2 December 2010
Pretoria, 2 December 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has recorded consistent growth in the levels of tax compliance in the country and in the numbers of tax returns submitted for the 2010 Tax Season.
- Supreme Court of Appeal Judgment – 15 December 2010
Pretoria 15 December 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) welcomes the clarification of a number of important principles by the Supreme Court of Appeal on 1 December 2010 in the case of SARS versus NWK Ltd.
- South African Trade Statistics for November 2010 – 31 December 2010
Pretoria, 31 December 2010 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for November 2010 that record a trade surplus of R8.4 billion, compared to a trade deficit of R3.2 billion in October 2010.
