The South African Revenue Service would like to clarify the confusion regarding the submission date of the Income Tax returns for 1999/2000 and the IRP 5 reconciliation statements.
Following several representations made by employers, SARS issued Media Release No. 17 dated 12 June 2000 effectively granting extension of time for issuing employees tax certificates and submission of reconciliations.
Due to the importance of these certificates for the submission of the 2000 Income Tax returns, SARS has decided that employers will have until 18 August 2000 to submit their reconciliation statements. SARS will only take action against employers if they fail to submit their reconciliation statements by the 18th of August 2000. Furthermore, SARS has decided that individuals who are affected by the late receipt of their employees tax certificates (IRP 5) will have until 31 August 2000 to render their returns.
SARS would like to reiterate that this does not represent a general extension for all taxpayers but merely a concession to those taxpayers who could not obtain their certificates timeously.
Those taxpayers who require an extension beyond 31 August 2000 will have to apply to their local Receiver of Revenue for extension to prevent a penalty being imposed for the late rendition of their returns.
ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
PRETORIA