Legal and Policy - 12 December 2024

Legal and Policy - 12 December 2024

SARS

• 5 December 2024: Efiling platform upgrade on 6 & 7 December 2024

Considering the above, SARS Digital platform maintenance are scheduled for:

• Friday, 06 December 2024 from 18h00 to 23h00,

• Saturday, 07 December 2024 from 05h00 to 09h00.

During this time, you may experience intermittent service interruption on our eFiling, Tax and Customs Digital Platforms.

Responses (CUSRES messages) to transactions submitted during this time will be delayed, however, arrival and exit management functions are available at land border posts for all released declarations and manifests.

Stakeholders are therefore urged to submit all Goods Declarations (bills of entry) and Road Manifest, especially those deemed priority, by Friday, 06 December 2024 @ 16h00.

• Tax Exempt Institutions: Special edition Connect Newsletter: 5 December 2024 – Read all about the new EI1 – Application for Exemption from Income Tax form and how to complete it.
• 5 December 2024: Income Tax Act, 1962: Average Exchange Rates:

• Table A – A list of the average exchange rates of selected currencies for a year of assessment as from December 2003

• Table B – A list of the monthly average exchange rates to assist a person whose year of assessment is shorter or longer than 12 months

• 5 December 2024: Tariff Amendments 2024 - Customs and Excise Act, 1964 amendments to –
• With retrospective effect from 22 September 2023
• Part 4 of Schedule No. 5, by the substitution of notes 4 and 5 in order to refer to correct refund item 541.00 applicable to the said part.
• With effect from 1 January 2025
• Part 1 of Schedule No. 1, to provide for technical amendments, by the insertion of new 8-digit tariff subheadings under Chapters 8, 29 and 72
• Part 1 of Schedule No. 3, to substitute and delete various items applicable to APDP I as these items have become redundant
• Part 1 of Schedule No. 4, by the substitution of rebate item 409.00 to implement the correct names for government departments
• Part 2 of Schedule No. 4, to substitute notes under rebate item 460.17 and delete various items under rebate item 460.17applicable to APDP I as these items have become redundant
• Part 2 of Schedule No. 4, by the substitution of various items in order to implement the correct names for government departments
• Part 3 of Schedule No. 5, to substitute and delete various items applicable to APDP I as these items have become redundant
• Part 1 of Schedule No. 1, by the substitution of various tariff subheadings to implement the phase down rates of customs duties in terms of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement
• Publication details will be made available later
• 6 December 2024: The SARS MobiApp has been enhanced to include the following additional tax services: “My Auto Assessment Status” and “Tax Return Status Dashboard”.
• 6 December 2024: Tariff Amendments 2024 - Customs and Excise Act, 1964: Publication details for tariff amendments notices R5615, R5616, R5617, R5618, R5619, R5620, R5621, and R5622, published in Government Gazette 51709 of 6 December 2024, are now available

• 6 December 2024: SARS hosted a transformative 91st WCO Policy Commission meeting in Cape Town

• WCO Statement on the conclusion of the 91^st Policy Commission: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2024/december/91st-session-of-the-wco-policy-commission-concludes-in-cape-town.aspx

• For further information, please contact: SARSMedia@sars.gov.za

• 6 December 2024: South Africa elected as new Chair of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF)

South Africa, represented by Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, was elected unopposed as the new Chair of the ATAF Council for a two-year period during ATAF’s 8^th General Assembly convened in Kigali, Rwanda on 4 December 2024.

This appointment firmly recognises South Africa’s standing in the International Tax and Customs World, and follows Commissioner Kieswetter’s leadership of the WCO and Vice Chair of the OECD Forum for Tax Administrations.

• 9 December 2024: Notice of registration (IT150) now issued on WhatsApp

• 10 December 2024: e@syFile™ Replatform Release Notes

The e@syFile™ Employer version 8.0.0_257 specify the following changes:

• Correction was made for resubmissions to ensure that submission is accepted.

• New EMP501 form to correct printing errors.

• Enhancement was made to the database to populate employer information especially where the data contains multiple employer files. Clients need to select the PAYE number and open the company for both PAYE number and company name to display correctly.

• Enhancements made to PAYE dashboard to display the correct status colour.

• New EMP201 form released to align with SARS PAYE BRS.

• 10 December 2024: Customs Weekly List of Unentered Goods now available

• 10 December 2024: Joint media statement National Treasury and South African Revenue Service on the release of the 17th annual edition of Tax Statistics

SARS and National Treasury welcome comments and suggestions from the public. Please send them by e-mail to taxstatistics@sars.gov.za.

NATIONAL TREASURY

Media Statement – Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana Congratulates ALM DDG Ms Lekhethe on Appointment as New IDC Chief Executive – 6 December 2024

Non-Compliance with Payments of Suppliers Invoices Within 30 Days - Quarter 2 - 2024-25 – 6 December 2024
Media Statement: Launch of the Independent Transmission Projects (ITP) Market Sounding Exercise – 11 December 2024
Minister of Finance - Opening Remarks at Finance and Central Bank Deputies' Meeting – 11 December 2024

ATAF

OP-ED: Boosting International Tax Cooperation for Africa's Growth - 5 December 2024

ATAF Introduces newly elected Council Members – 5 December 2024

Outcome Statement: ATAF Annual Meetings 2024 – 7 December 2024