Growth feels like progress. Sales increase, staff numbers rise, and profit improves. Yet each of these shifts changes your tax position. Here we examine how business expansion can trigger VAT obligations, higher provisional tax payments, payroll risk, structural strain, and cash flow pressure. Then we discuss what small business owners should address before growth creates avoidable tax exposure.
The recent increases in the compulsory VAT registration threshold to R2.3 million and in the voluntary registration threshold to R120,000 are widely welcomed. It will certainly ease the administrative burden on small businesses and the strain on their cash flow. Businesses that do not exceed the higher threshold on 1 April 2026 may apply to deregister for VAT. But be certain to rely on our expertise when making this decision, as it’s fraught with potentially costly consequences.
The global minimum tax (GMT) – called an “agreement that will really change the world” – will be implemented in South Africa by SARS in 2026/27. While it may not impact your business directly, it should ultimately reduce your share of the tax burden by ensuring all multinational enterprises (MNEs) contribute their fair share of local taxes. SARS is actively preparing and the GMT registration and notification functionality on the eFiling platform went live on 16 March 2026. Find out here why specialist advice will be ever more important for local and global taxpayers in South Africa.
Taxpayers will enjoy long-awaited tax relief with much good news contained in the 2026 Budget. It scrapped the previously announced R20 billion in tax increases, and instead provides relief for taxpayers, assists small businesses and encourages savings by adjusting various tax brackets, caps and limits.
There is also real optimism about the country’s economic growth prospects. So much so that Budget 2026 has been called a fiscal turning point for SA, as important milestones are achieved. Read more good news from the Budget here…
Budget 2026 has brought long-overdue relief to taxpayers by not imposing VAT or income tax hikes and by adjusting the tables for tax rates, rebates and credits for inflation. Of course, some tax hikes were always going to happen: inflation-linked increases on sin taxes took effect on 25 February already and the fuel levies also increased.
This selection of official SARS Tax Tables and other useful resources will help clarify your tax position for the new tax year. Then follow the link to Fin 24’s Budget Calculator (just follow the four-step process) to do your own calculation.
06 March – PAYE submissions and payments
25 March – VAT manual submissions and payments
30 March – Excise duty payments
31 March – End of the 2025/6 Financial year, VAT electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional Tax payments where applicable.
The second provisional tax deadline for the 2026 financial year is just days away on 27 February 2026. This is an important and tricky deadline, because this second provisional tax estimate must be quite accurate (within 80–90% of actual taxable income) to avoid SARS’ stiff under-estimation penalty. Find out how we can help you to meet this important deadline with the highest accuracy.
As we approach the end of the tax year, now is an ideal time to make a few strategic adjustments that can strengthen your financial position. These steps are simple, high-impact, and designed to help you make the most of the tax incentives available to South Africans.
Read on to make sure you end the tax year right.
06 February – PAYE submissions and payments
25 February – VAT manual submissions and payments
26 February – Excise duty payments
27 February – VAT electronic submissions and payments, CIT Provisional Tax payments where applicable and PIT Second Provisional Tax payments for the 2026 year of assessment.
07 January – PAYE submissions and payments 19 January – End of Filing Season 2025 for Provisional Taxpayers and End of Filing Season 2025 for Trusts 23 January – VAT manual submissions and payments 29 January – Excise duty payments 30 January – VAT electronic submissions and payments & CIT Read more