Taxpayer and Trader Education

What’s New?

For the latest SARS tutorial and eLearning video and webinar on specific tax and trade topics, see our SARS TV Channel.

If you have missed any of our live-streamed webinars, a complete list of all the recordings are also available on our SARS TV Channel.

What do we do?

Our aim is to provide taxpayers with information that would empower them to have a basic understanding of  the various tax types, how these taxes work and what is expected of taxpayers in order to be tax compliant at all times.

We offer free tax education workshops that are presented at most SARS branches across the country or via virtual platforms. These workshops cover a wide range of topics and are presented on a regular basis. In addition we offer the following educational and informational activities:

Mobile Tax Units

See our schedule for the Mobile Tax Units per region. The Mobile Tax Units webpage will be updated on a regular basis. To see the services Mobile Tax Units offer and the documents you need to take with you, click here.

Upcoming education sessions

See our schedule for the upcoming education sessions per region. 

Webinars

We have regular live webinars on relevant topics. Keep an eye on this page for the schedule:

15 May 2023 – Webinar on Third-Party Appointment and Employer Reconciliation

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) held a webinar on Third-Party Appointment and Employer Reconciliation for 2023.

A Third-Party Appointment is an official instruction from SARS to a taxpayer’s employer or fund manager to deduct admin penalties owed to SARS. Employers can use the e@syFile channel to carry out that instruction according to the SARS directive. 

The following topics were covered:

• Employer Reconciliation on e@syFile and eFiling
• Third-Party Appointments on e@syFile
• PAYE Admin Penalties
• Troubleshooting and Frequently asked Questions

If you missed the webinar, see the recording on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUCbhGV01dY
or view the presentation.

10 March 2023 – Webinar on the SARS Administered Incentives

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) held a webinar to engage Small, Micro, and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) about various domestic and cross border incentives available to help them grow their businesses. The webinar also touched on revenue compliance obligations and helped Traders understand their responsibilities before the SARS financial year end.

If you missed the webinar you can view the presentation by clicking here.

See the Questions & Answers following the webinar here.

14 February 2023 – Webinar on Tax Directives 

If you missed the webinar, see the recording on YouTube:  https://youtube.com/live/CrjDUA3Tzm0?feature=share

or click here to view the presentation.

The following topics will be covered:

• Types of Tax Directives
• Type of Tax Directives by Tax Practitioners on behalf of Individuals and Employers
• Tax Directive application process
• Timelines for the Tax Directives applications
• Tax Directive updates/ changes
• Access to Tax Directives via eFiling

13 December 2022 – Webinar on taxpayers in the arts, entertainment and sports sector

If you missed the webinar, see the recording on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/JYAlMrmN7lE

or view the presentations here:

• Basics of taxation
• Estate management process

The following topics were covered:

• Basics of Taxation
• Voluntary Disclosure Programme
• Debt Management Process
• Estates Management Process

24 November 2022 – Webinar on Dispute Process

If you missed the webinar, see the recording on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/uBVDU1qbR9w

or the presentation here – Dispute Process

The following topics will be covered:

• Definition of the dispute process and the types of disputes that exist.
• Time frames for different disputes to be lodged
• What channels are available for the various dispute processes
• The timelines in which disputes and appeals are finalised.
• What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?
• Common errors that lead to rejection of disputes and delay the dispute process.

17 November 2022 – Webinar on South African Traveller Declaration

If you missed the recent webinar on the online Traveller Declaration system, you can view it on the SARS TV channel. Or you can view the Traveller Declaration system presentation delivered during the webinar here. The webinar provided more information about the new traveller declaration system. 

27 October 2022 – Webinar on Tariff Determination

SARS hosted a comprehensive Tariff Determination webinar.  If you missed the webinar, see the recording on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/TtXDAI9WMes or view the presentation.

20 October 2022 – Webinar on Employer Interim Reconciliation Declarations Filing Season

SARS hosted a Webinar for employers, where the Employer Interim Declarations (EMP 501) Filing Season was discussed.  

The following topics were covered:

• Submission channels
• General rules for import file structure
• Validation rules updates
• EMP501 reconciliation process

If you’ve missed the event, see the recorded session on YouTube or click here to view the presentation.

6 October 2022 – Allowable Medical Expenses

26 May 2022 – Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) webinar for SMMEs

SARS hosted a Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) taxpayers and traders to a webinar on Thursday, 26 May 2022, from 17:00 – 19:00. The following Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) topics were covered:

• • Registration requirements
  • Completion of returns
  • Accurate and timeous filing
  • Reconciliations
  • Payment processes
  • Employment Tax Incentive (ETI)
  • Deregistration.

If you missed the event, you may view it on the SARS TV Channel.

23 February 2022 – Authorised Economic Operator webinar

SARS hosted a webinar discussion on Authorised Economic Operator Programme. The purpose of the webinar was to equip current and potential traders with knowledge on how to:

1. Reduce the turnaround time spent on clearing goods at ports.
2. Reduce costs that come with delays of cargo, improve daily cash flow and minimise Customs intervention.
3. Acquire an accreditation status that will boost the company’s credibility and trust among peers, leading to vast opportunities in the International Trade Community.

See the presentation delivered during the webinar. If you missed the event, you may view it on the SARS TV Channel. 

30 September 2021 – How to apply for a TCS on eFiling
To assist taxpayers, SARS hosted a virtual webinar for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMMEs). The webinar provided information on the navigation of eFiling and the application for the Tax Compliance Status (TCS) on eFiling. If you have missed it, see the webinar on our SARS TV Channel. For the FAQs asked during the webinar, click here.

23 September 2021 – Education on how to use our system and processes webinar
SARS hosted a webinar on Education for Process to make it easier for taxpayers to meet their tax obligations and, in this way, be tax compliance. The platform will provide an opportunity for SARS to introduce and demonstrate a number of technological tools that were recently designed to assist taxpayers to, at leisure, navigate our enhanced systems. If you have missed it, see the webinar on our SARS TV Channel or see the presentation here.

16 September 2021 – Excise Environmental Levies and Taxes Webinar
It is one of the South African  government’s objectives to preserve the environment, reduce pollution and to give effect to certain international treaties on climate change and pollution. If you have missed the live webinar go to our SARS TV YouTube channel or see the presentation delivered during the webinar.

19 August 2021 – Customs SMME Traders and Travellers Webinar
See our webinar presentation for the SMME Traders and Travellers segment in collaboration with Taxpayer and Traders Education on Customs clearance procedures to help taxpayers to comply with their tax obligations. If you have missed the live webinar, go to our SARS TV YouTube channel or see the content presented showed during the webinar.

29 July 2021 – Trusts & Tax Obligations Webinar
If you have missed the live webinar, go to our SARS TV YouTube channel. See the FAQs discussed during the webinar.

9 July 2021 – Home Office Tax Requirements Webinar
If you have missed the live streaming, it’s now available to watch here or the presentation discussed during the webinar is available here for viewing or downloading.

Step-by-step videos

Keep an eye on our SARS TV Channel for new tutorial videos. Below is a list of our easy, step-by-step videos for some of our offerings:

• Send an SMS to SARS on 47277 for any of the following:
  • Request a booking with SARS,
  • Ask whether you should submit a tax return,
  • Ask your Tax Registration Number or request your Statement of Account.
  • See our video Here’s what you can do via the new SMS services.
• What can I do on eFiling?
  • How to access Customs Registration, Licensing and Accreditation on eFiling
  • How to register as a taxpayer on eFiling and receive your tax reference number
  • How to submit your Personal Income Tax return on eFiling
  • How to request or view your notice of registration (IT150 ) on eFiling
  • How to manage your profile on eFiling
  • How to view correspondence on eFiling
  • What to do when your Income Tax Return ITR12 is rejected by SARS on eFiling due to a directive
  • What to do when your Income Tax Return ITR12 is rejected by SARS on eFiling due to a duplicate IRP
• What can I do on the SARS MobiApp?
  • How to submit your Personal Income Tax return on the SARS MobiApp
  • How to check if you have the correct version of the operating system to download the SARS MobiApp
• How to manage my Company Income Tax on eFiling?
  • How to add a company to your existing eFiling profile and request the transfer of your Corporate income tax types