The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today continued enforcement actions against taxpayers who have failed to submit their income tax returns.
With assistance from the South African Police Service (SAPS) 3 people were arrested by midday in Pretoria on charges of contempt of court. Warrants of arrests were also issued for a further 26 individuals on similar charges in the Groenkloof and Garsfontein areas in Pretoria.
The contempt of court charges relate to cases where taxpayers have outstanding returns but failed to appear in court to be charged.
The arrests form part of various enforcement initiatives which are part of SARS's 2007 Filing Season campaign.
In addition to the arrests, SARS is today also serving more than 500 summonses on taxpayers across the country who have outstanding returns. The summonses are legal warnings for taxpayers to appear in court on a particular date to face charges of non-submission of returns.
SARS has identified thousands of alleged multiple offenders across the country, who owe SARS more than 450 000 outstanding tax returns. While the Filing Season period traditionally focussed on extending services and assistance to taxpayers to complete their returns, a situation cannot continue where delinquent taxpayers are not brought to book.
Summonses have been served to individuals in the following areas:
These actions will continue. SARS must urge taxpayers to submit their returns early as queues at branch offices are expected to grow over the next 3 weeks.
The deadline for the submission of income tax returns is 31 October 2007.
ENDS
ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
PRETORIA