School of Accountancy (ETDs)

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    An examination of the treatment of fees received by directors for South African tax purposes
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Letlabe, Obed
    The study is about the way non-executive directors are treated for tax purpose by SARS and its reasoning regarding the VAT and PAYE liability of resident and non-resident non-executive directors. This research then evaluates both statutory and common law to determine whether non-executive directors can be treated as independent contractors. The report further evaluates whether the SARS reasoning is consistent with international conventions and treaties. The research suggests that it was never the legislature’s intention to treat services rendered by office holders as ‘enterprise’ liable for VAT
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    An analysis of the income tax provisions applied to the tax exemption for Foreign Employment Income
    (2021) Gumede, Wendy
    The taxation of foreign employment income has been a major issue in South Africa and the amendment toS10(1)(o)(ii) of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (‘the Act’) has presented more complications. S 10(1)(o)(ii) stated that all income received in respect of services performed outside of South Africa was free from taxation in South Africa if the employee performing such services was based outside of South Africa prior to 01 March 2020:“...(aa) for a period or periods exceeding 183 full days in aggregate during any period of 12 months; and (bb) for a continuous period exceeding 60 full days during that period of 12 months, and those services were rendered during that period or periods...”1 (Income tax Act 58 of 1962) In the 2017 budget speech the finance minister, Pravin Gordhan, highlighted that in 2016 there had been a R30 billion shortfall in taxes collected. This was primarily due to Personal Income Tax, Value Added Tax(VAT) and Customs Duties. Amongst other proposals to reduce the shortfall, he proposed that the S10(1)(o)(ii) exemption of the Act be repealed as the exemption on foreign employment income appeared to be “excessively generous”. That meant that foreign employment income would be fully taxed, with the only relief available being a tax credit for foreign taxes paid. Several members of the sector and the general public wrote to the finance minister requesting that the draft change be reconsidered. The National Treasury responded and took into consideration some of the comments submitted by the public. One of the National Treasury’s response was to extend the date that the amendment to S10(1)(o)(ii) was set to come into effect to 01 March 2020.Another response was to increase the value of the amount to be exempted to R1.25 million instead of R 1 million for the year of assessment ending February 2021( National Treasury 2017a). The purpose of this report is to discuss how the amendments of S 10(1)(o)(ii) of the Act came about, how it will impact South African expatriates and possibly have them consider ceasing residency in South Africa, the benefits and process of ceasing residency. It is also to examine the legislative, administrative and judicial approaches of the taxation of foreign employment income. This report includes a comparative calculation of a South African tax resident working in another country compared to when that individual has ceased residency and lives in a country that South African expatriates are known to likely emigrate to as they either already work there or a country that has a strong economic structure