SARS ramps up its use of AI for tax assessments

SK

Sara-Jayne Makwala King

9 July 2024 | 11:58

SARS is taking the headache out of tax season with auto-assessments, but some taxpayers are concerned about possible scams doing the rounds.

Clarence Ford is joined by Jashwin Baijoo, Head of Strategic Engagement & Compliance at Tax Consulting SA .

Click the audio player to listen to the interview.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) 2024 tax season is well underway.

It kicked off at the start of the month with auto-assessments, and will be followed by different deadlines for different taxpayer categories.

In its dogged pursuit of tax compliance, SARS has launched a series of automated initiatives, all designed to streamline various tax processes.

Baijoo says, in a world slowly being taken over by AI, the South African Revenue Service is no exception. 

"It's like that movie, I, Robot, where AI is just getting smarter and smarter to the point where AI processing is used on taxpayers bank accounts as well as allowing SARS the ability to even access taxpayers crypto trading details from trading platforms."
Jashwin Baijoo, Head of Strategic Engagement & Compliance - Tax Consulting SA 

Some South Africans say they've been concerned that messages they've received purporting to be from SARS look suspiciously like a phishing scam.

One in particular notifies taxpayers of Audit and Request for Relevant Material, ‘based on risk(s) detected’.

Do we need to take these seriously, asks Ford?

"Take it very seriously...it is not a scam or phising."
Jashwin Baijoo, Head of Strategic Engagement & Compliance - Tax Consulting SA 
"The auto assement itself, you should receive either an SMS or email notification. Log on to your e-filing and check via that platform."
Jashwin Baijoo, Head of Strategic Engagement & Compliance - Tax Consulting SA 

If you have a refund due, your refund will be paid within 24 to 48 hours.

Always ensure your banking details are up to date and verified.

If you have an amount payable, SARS' update guide states amounts under R100 will roll over to the next year. 

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