Blog

“If you talk to a top accountant about his field of expertise, it’s mind-boggling.” (Vincent Kompany, professional football manager and former player) Accountants are the tax and compliance champions of any industry, but the best ones do so much more for their clients, as strategic advisors and trouble-shooters who can also assist with automating a variety of tasks and pave the way for the running of a smooth and profitable…  Read more

“The lack of adequate, accurate and up-to-date beneficial ownership information facilitates money laundering and terrorist financing by allowing criminals to hide their true identities, and the true purpose and/or source or use of funds.” (Financial Intelligence Centre – FIC) South Africa’s grey listing by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) earlier this year and the subsequent passing of the General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Act 22…  Read more

“Eskom plays a critical role in the life of South Africa, and life of South Africans. Due to its important role in the economy, its inability to provide electricity on demand and on time is a crisis.” (President Cyril Ramaphosa) The South African Reserve Bank’s Financial Sector Contingency Forum (FSCF) has recently encouraged South African businesses to develop plans for operation at stage 8 load-shedding levels and a total countrywide…  Read more

“Confidentiality of taxpayer information has always been a fundamental cornerstone of tax systems… taxpayers need to have confidence that the often-sensitive financial information is not disclosed inappropriately, whether intentionally or by accident.” (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – OECD) The confidentiality of taxpayers’ information has recently come under the spotlight in South Africa. This was first sparked by a public statement from SARS earlier this year on the tax…  Read more

7 July – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 28 July – Excise Duty payments 31 July – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact…  Read more

“The amount of work we can automate with AI is vastly larger than before. As leaders, it is incumbent on all of us to make sure we are building a world in which every individual has an opportunity to thrive.” (Andrew Ng, Co-founder and lead of Google Brain) Artificial Intelligence has come a long way very fast, and now every second app is claiming to be able to change your…  Read more

“A trustee has a responsibility to guard the assets of others with a higher degree of care than he does his own.” (John Ashcroft) Onerous new duties have recently been imposed on all trustees of all trusts – by government through legislative amendments, and also by SARS – in addition to their existing fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of all the beneficiaries and “with the care, diligence…  Read more

“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” (Warren Buffet, Investor) Anyone who has ever started a business knows the feeling a new enquiry can generate. The excitement that things seem to be working, may make the new entrepreneur set aside their concerns and leap at any opportunity. The sad news is that this excitement to help anyone who…  Read more

“The government expects that, by encouraging companies to undertake R&D in South Africa, local companies will strengthen their capabilities of developing value-added products, technologies and services.” (Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) – South Africa) Research and development (R&D) is essential to boost innovation in the business sector, as it improves the capability to develop new products and processes and to improve existing ones. This is crucial for improving competitiveness…  Read more

7 June – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 29 June – Excise Duty payments 30 June – End of the 1st Financial Quarter 30 June – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or…  Read more

“The lack of reliable electricity supply is the biggest economic constraint… I am pleased to announce two tax measures to encourage businesses and individuals to invest in renewable energy and increase electricity generation.”(Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana – Budget 2023) In the 2023 Budget, the lack of a reliable electricity supply was highlighted as the country’s biggest economic constraint. South Africans have been subjected to loadshedding every day of 2023, often…  Read more

“Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” (Stephen R. Covey) Gallup describes “engaged employees” as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work and workplace. Numerous studies over many decades have confirmed the benefits of engaged employees especially to smaller companies, where they are often required to take on many diverse responsibilities. Many studies have also identified employee engagement…  Read more

“A house built on granite and strong foundations, not even the onslaught of pouring rain, gushing torrents and strong winds will be able to pull down.” (Haile Selassie, Former Emperor of Ethiopia) When starting a new business, few things are as important as establishing your finances and making sure they are right. Building the foundation for stable, accurate financial reports and tax filing will see you in good stead in…  Read more

“In 2022 South Africa had the 12th highest income tax burden, the 9th highest company income tax burden, and the 14th highest non-resource tax burden worldwide.” (Garth Zietsman, South Africa’s Tax Freedom Day statistician)  Tax Freedom Day marks the day in the year when South Africans stop giving all their money to their government for the year and finally start working for themselves. In 2023, Free Market Foundation statistician Garth Zietsman has worked…  Read more

5 May – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 30 May – Excise Duty payments 31 May – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact…  Read more

“We need to give importance to skill development because this way we can end unemployment.” (Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, India) Since 1999, the Skills Development Levy (SDL) has served to fund skills development in the country. It encourages a planned and structured approach to skills development so employers, employees and the economy can benefit from a better skilled and more productive workforce. All South African companies with a payroll exceeding…  Read more

“Proper business planning demands that you focus on the self-interest of the customer at all times.” – (Brian Tracy, Author and Speaker) Writing a business plan can feel like a daunting process, and making mistakes is part of the package, even if you follow the online guides and templates.  To make this process simpler, we have made a short list of common errors that somehow keep creeping into these vital…  Read more

“…governments internationally have increasingly used tax measures to support efforts aimed at regenerating urban areas.” (SARS Guide to the UDZ Allowance) The urban development zone (UDZ) tax incentive, provided for in section 13quat of the Income Tax Act (the Act), was introduced 20 years ago in 2003, as an accelerated depreciation allowance for property investments in certain central business districts. It aims to promote investment by the private sector in the construction or improvement…  Read more

“Consumers don’t just buy products and services anymore; they buy experiences. This demands a new approach to marketing, sales, and services; one that hinges on winning customer trust.” (Ben Jackson, Author “The Future of Commerce) With customer trust being the most important element in attracting sales, contracts and clients, gaining that trust is an important step for any new start up. How can you make sales if you have no…  Read more

1 April – Start of the 2022/23 Financial Year 6 April – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 26 April – Excise Duty payments 28 April – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage…  Read more