SARS EXTENDS FILING SEASON PROVISIONAL TAXPAYER DEADLINE FOR ONLINE FILERS
Pretoria, Thursday 28 January 2021 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has noted with deep concern the unprecedented health challenge manifested through COVID-19 with the accompanying loss of lives and livelihoods. SARS wishes to convey its sincere and deepest condolences to those that have lost their loved ones and wish a speedy recovery to those who are convalescing at home or in hospital.
In light of these challenges, SARS has taken a decision to extend the Filing Season deadline for provisional taxpayers, which is currently set for 29 January 2021, to 15 February 2021.
In line with SARS’ communication on steps taken to prevent the spread of COVID19 and protect both the taxpayers and SARS staff, taxpayers are encouraged to use eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.
SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said, “The decision to extend the Filing Season, was taken with due consideration of the traumatic effects being experienced by taxpayers who have lost loved ones, as well as businesses who have lost staff, during the devastating second wave of Covid-19. Read more ..
SARS ADDRESSES ADOBE TERMINATION OF FLASH PLAYER
Pretoria, Monday 18 January 2021 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) wishes to apologise unreservedly to all taxpayers for the disruption in services brought about by the termination of support of the Adobe Flash Player platform on 12 January 2021.
SARS duly took note of Adobe’s notice to discontinue support for some of its products beyond December 2020. With this in mind, SARS already migrated the vast majority of its most critical forms to alternative platforms, most notably HTML5.
For the reasons set out below, SARS had, until now, focused on the major tax types with the highest volumes. These are largely completed and operationally stable. While noting the discontinuation of Adobe Flash Player support, we erred in our interpretation that the functionality would continue beyond the support date. This error has created frustration to many taxpayers to whom we owe an apology.
The events leading to the unfortunate disruption and the remedial actions that have been taken as well as those that are under way are detailed below. Read more …