SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
PRESS STATEMENT

22 OCTOBER 2007

EXTENDING SERVICES FOR FILING SEASON DEADLINE

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) will from today extend its hours of operation at all branch offices to accommodate queues of taxpayers at service centres across the country.

Most SARS taxpayer service centres at branch offices will be open from 7am to 6pm from today. Effectively, at most offices, this will allow for an extra 3 hours per day during which taxpayers can receive free assistance from SARS with completing their returns or for any other tax queries.

In addition to the extended office hours, SARS will also have service desks and officials available in the big economic centres of the country to assist with the overflow of taxpayer numbers and alleviate the pressure of queues at branch offices until 31 October 2007:

• JOHANNESBURG: LIBRARY GARDENS - from 09:00 until 15:00
• PRETORIA: CHURCH SQUARE - from 08:00 until 18:00
• DURBAN: PAVILION SHOPPING CENTRE - from 09:00 until 18:00
• BISHO: BISHO SQUARE - 08:00 until 18:00
• MTHATHA: MTHATHA PLAZA - 08:00 until 18:00
• CAPE TOWN: Company Gardens - 09:00 until 18:00

The deadline for the manual submission of income tax returns is 31 October 2007. Given the number of income tax returns issued this year, SARS must urge taxpayers to complete their returns and hand it in as soon as possible before the deadline to avoid penalties and interest for late submissions.

Taxpayers can obtain and submit their returns through the following channels:

• download a copy from the internet at www.sarsefiling.co.za
• hand in a completed return at a SARS branch office
• hand in the return at the South African Post Office
• complete and submit the return through SARS efiling.

Any other queries may be directed to the SARS Call centre: 0860 12 12 18

ENDS

ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
PRETORIA