SARS Pays Back Record R450 Billion to South African Taxpayers

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has achieved a major milestone, announcing preliminary gross revenue collection of R2.3 trillion for the fiscal year ending March 2024 – representing a significant 6.9% year-on-year growth.

Record Tax Refunds Distributed

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter revealed during a media briefing that the revenue service paid out R447.7 billion in tax refunds to South African taxpayers. This marks:

• The highest refund amount in SARS history
• An 8.2% increase from last year’s R414 billion
• Part of R1.855 trillion in preliminary net revenue

Attributing Success to SARS Workforce

Commissioner Kieswetter credited the organization’s 13,000 employees for these results, stating:

“Without the people, we are nothing. We focused on creating a more conducive environment for our staff… Employee engagement has increased from 61.6% in 2019/20 to 71% currently.”

SARS as a National Institution

The Commissioner emphasized SARS’ critical role in South Africa’s democracy:

“SARS is a national treasure that belongs to all of us… Without this important institution, our democracy would be unfunded.”

Tax Compliance Check

The article concludes by asking readers:

Did you pay what you owed to SARS last year? Share your experience in the comments or via WhatsApp at 060 011 0211.