More than 2.7 million taxpayers have submitted their tax returns since the opening of tax season in July 2017, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cSARS wishes to thank all 2\u00a0794 952 taxpayers who have submitted their returns timeously. This is an increase of 3.6% compared to last year\u2019s figure this time. As at 1pm today, SARS had already received 18\u00a0017 tax returns for this morning alone,\u201d said the revenue service.<\/p>\n
By Monday, SARS had paid over R62.1 billion in refunds to taxpayers.\u00a0Of this amount, R49.8 billion in VAT refunds was disbursed and R12.3 billion in Personal Income Tax refunds.<\/p>\n
The SARS contact centre to date has handled 1.69 million calls of which 324 651\u00a0have been call-back and help-you-eFile requests.<\/p>\n
As at the start of Tax Season to date, 49.28% of taxpayers have used the SARS eFiling channel to file their returns while 50.9% filed at a branch.<\/p>\n
Over 2.5 million taxpayers have visited a SARS branch countrywide as of 1 July 2017.<\/p>\n
SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane also expressed appreciation to taxpayers and the team of over 14\u00a0000 SARS employees committed to providing excellent service.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs SARS we are thankful for the level of compliance amongst taxpayers, who make it possible for the State to carry out its mandate. Also, we are proud of the passion, commitment and dedication displayed by SARS employees to provide excellent service throughout the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Moyane also reminded taxpayers that efiling is the quickest and easiest method of meeting one\u2019s tax obligation.<\/p>\n
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba launched this year\u2019s tax season at the Orlando East branch in Soweto on 3 July. It was the first time that this was done in a township in the 20 years of SARS\u2019 existence.<\/p>\n