SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
PRESS STATEMENT

25 MAY 2007

SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE (SARS) OFFICES TO OPEN LONGER HOURS TO ACCOMMODATE SMALL BUSINESS TAX AMNESTY APPLICATIONS

Thousands of small businesses have already applied for the Small Business Tax Amnesty. In the past few days SARS offices have been flooded with calls and queues have formed at many of our service points to file amnesty applications.

With the Small Business Tax Amnesty deadline of 31 May 2007 fast approaching, SARS and its Customs offices in outlying areas will be working longer hours in response to the demand.

All revenue offices will be open tomorrow, Saturday 26th May, from 8h00 to 13h00 and on Monday 28th May to Thursday 31 May until 18h00. SARS officials will be on hand during these longer hours to assist small business operators with all amnesty related queries and with completing the amnesty application forms.

This is one of the many ways in which SARS is going the extra mile to improve the service that it offers to our citizens.

SARS officials will intensify its amnesty registration drive in the last few days of the amnesty window period and will be deploying thousands of its officials countrywide to visit small businesses at places where they ply their trade. In addition, an SMS will be sent to taxi operators as well as Public Benefit Organisations to alert them of their qualification for the amnesty and the looming deadline.

This is the last chance for small businesses to regularise their tax affairs and avoid prosecution (up to five years imprisonment) and fines.

The small business tax amnesty was announced by the Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel, in his 2006 Budget Speech. The amnesty period opened on the 1st of August 2006. Small businesses with a turnover of less than R10-million a year qualify for amnesty. So if you have defaulted on income tax, VAT and payroll taxes, apply for the small business tax amnesty before the deadline.

For more information visit any of our offices during these longer hours, visit our website on www.sars.gov.za or contact the amnesty call centre on 0860 12 12 20.

ENDS

ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
PRETORIA



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