The South African Revenue Service (SARS) prevented R2.7 billion in fraudulent claims in the Personal Income Tax environment during the 2017 tax season.
SARS also paid R18.5 billion to taxpayers at the close of the tax season for non-provisional taxpayers a 26% increase from last year.
In total, R19.8 billion has been paid to individuals this financial year.
The figure includes prior year returns, which directly contribute to household incomes and the domestic economy.
SARS spokesperson Sandile Memela says, “Significantly, during Tax Season 2017, SARS prevented R2.7 billion in fraudulent claims in the Personal Income Tax environment, saving the fiscus of potential revenue loss. This was a R900 million (50%) improvement from last year where R1.8 billion in fraudulent claims was prevented during the same period.”
