Legal Articles and Guides

The non-profit Healthy Living Alliance (Heala) is lobbying the Treasury to raise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages and expand the net to include fruit juices to increase its effect.

SARS has attached the assets of state capture-linked firm Trillian and its sole director, Eric Wood. During a liquidation application brought by SARS and heard in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) yesterday, it emerged that the revenue service had appointed a curator to attach Trillian's and Wood’s assets.

The government may have little choice but to hike VAT in the 26 February Budget as economic growth continues to struggle, weighing on the state’s ability to collect tax and meet the demands of SOEs, according to Absa’s prediction.

The Public Protector has still not received confirmation from former President Jacob Zuma that she may access his tax records – despite a tweet from Zuma’s twitter account in November.

Letting out property can give you an excellent “annuity” income, and if that concept appeals to you and a buy-to-let property comes your way at the right price put an offer in right now; before the current ‘buyer’s market’ runs its course.

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane maintains she does have the power to obtain former President Jacob Zuma's tax information from SARS whose refusal to provide it, she says, could result in ‘criminal sanctions', notes News24.

The public is entitled to know whether Jacob Zuma’s tax affairs were in order during the time that he served as President, according to papers lodged in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria), notes a Business Day report.

SARS has fired its head of legal, Refiloe Mokoena, after a disciplinary hearing found her guilty of serious misconduct. BusinessLIVE says Mokoena was allegedly involved in granting the controversial Gupta family a reported R420m VAT refund.

The SCA judgment in Benhaus Mining (Pty) Ltd v Commissioner for SARS in favour of the taxpayer has highlighted the need for amendments to the Income Tax Act.

SA’s multinational tobacco dealer, Martin Fraser Wingate-Pearse, has been ordered to pay Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan a huge sum for legal costs for alleging that he was part of a ‘rogue unit’ while SARS Commissioner.

The recent dismissal of an urgent application by Mark Lifman and his associates to hold on to their assets clearly demonstrates the perils of being passive in dealing with SARS, says Business Day journalist Amanda Visser.

Controversial Cape Town businessman Mark Lifman has turned to the SCA after losing his latest bid to stop SARS from seizing his assets in order to recover outstanding taxes amounting to R388m.

The Western Cape High Court has ended a five-year cat-and-mouse chase between Cape Town businessman Mark Lifman and the taxman over more than R352m. A TimesLIVE report notes SARS has been trying to recover the money from Lifman and his 35 companies and trusts since 2014.

SARS has offered clarity for companies that offer transport services to their employees. While the Income Tax Act stipulates that any service paid for by an employer for the private or domestic use of an employee is deemed a taxable benefit, SARS, recognising the necessity of companies’ providing transport for their employees, made provision for this to attract ‘no value’ for tax.

This article is important to you if you are either a South African working abroad or an employer of one. If you don’t fall into either of those categories, but know someone who does, please think of passing this on.