… is that tax deductible 
My concern is that a compliant taxpayer may get that same nasty surprise. Of course, after you put up a fight, the funds will probably be returned (without an apology), but this is still something I find scary, and another reason to get a bank account in Georgia or somewhere outside CRS.
With State Capture … I think the Reserve Bank, banks, have gotten wiser.
And SARS wants to know when monies goes overseas.
So methinks one needs to get expert advices.
Hence me mentioning CRS. Common Reporting System. That’s the system by which banks report to each other and to revenue services, and how SARS knows about your offshore holdings.
There are a few countries in the world that are not part of this. Georgia (in Eastern Europe) for example, and neigbouring Armenia. Also, the USA is technically not a part of CRS, but you’d be taking too many chances there.
I’m not advocating for this. Not at all. I suggest people stick with their obligations and render unto Caesar that which is his. What I am saying, is that this is one way that a revenue service can turn good citizens into criminals. Put their money at risk… and the money will flee.
Heard of people who have this same concern, some have experienced this, and since have stashed cash cleverly in, under, and around the house.
And no, not in a couch, under the bed … proper safe in a proper location.
it should be noted that SARS employees are not excluded from the things which influence ‘good’ citizens, in fact we will all err to think we might in some way be aloof of the cancers gnawing at society - just the little voice in me - not to be confused with my tinnitus which at stages even bothers the cat 
I have generally had an open and honest relationship with SARS. By which I mean I have never had to pay in 
But they throw the odd wobbly now and then. I suppose they have a lot to keep track of.
I remember one year (77? 78?, certainly late 70s) I got a refund for 5c. I laughed that they had bothered to print the cheque (as they did in those days) and pay postage (as they did in those days). I had moved around a lot that year, and ended up filing my return in Durban.
Fast forward about 4 years and I get a letter from SARS saying my return for a certain year was overdue. I thought hang on! I remember that one! That’s the year I got a 5c refund.
I called them up and got put through to some gentleman and told him what had happened and he thanked me for being cooperative but repeated that the return was overdue. I told him again. He thanked me again and told me my return was overdue, but because I was cooperating there would be no penalties.
OK… so he made an appointment for me. I went to see him. He gave me a return form as it had been in that year. I had to contact the two places I had worked during that tax year and get IRP5s, in the format they would have been in that year.
I completed the paperwork and handed it to him. He said to expect a response within 30 days.
In less than 30 days he called me back said I needed to come and see him, he had something for me. I said “a cheque for 5c?” He laughed and said yes.
1 Like