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South Africa's revenue collector is working with Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) to improve tax compliance in the country.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) announced on Friday that it has formed a SARS Private Sector Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) stakeholder group to help it enforce tax compliance when goods flow in and out of the country's borders.
"Border management requires a fine balance of trade facilitation, collection of the correct taxes and, at the same time, improving compliance.
"SARS's eighth strategic objective acknowledges that SARS cannot do this alone, that we need to work with and through stakeholders to achieve our intent," the company said in a statement.
SARS wants to increase voluntary compliance as it modernises its customs and other systems. It said it recognises that the success of that vision lies in the dynamics of its partnership with stakeholders like BUSA.
The tax collector launched its AEO programme in November 2020. It said 137 companies are now part of it, and over the next four years, the programme will expand to include more sectors.
SARS has been striking more partnerships with different private sector players lately to beef up its capabilities to police compliance. Earlier this week, it announced a partnership with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants to recruit experts with tax and forensic experience.
It has also partnered with the US's Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division to detect and fight tax and economic crimes that affect both SA and the US.
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