Widows take tax grievances to SARS
About 100 widows clad in black – the colour commonly worn by widows in African cultures to mark the death of their spouses – descended on SARS and accused the state revenue collector of unfairly taxing them and even plundering their pension funds.
The widows gathered outside Road Lodge in Selborne and braved the scorching heat as they marched to SARS offices in Chiselhurst, carrying a large banner with the name of their organisation, Abafelokazi Base Mzansi- Afrika [The widows of SA].
Emotions ran high outside the SARS building as the widows, who travelled from far and wide in the province, marched to make their grievances against SARS heard.
They chanted, sang and some were in tears as they asked SARS officials if their crime was losing their loved ones.
The widows claimed that SARS was taxing them thousands, with many having debts of up to R40,000 with the state collector.
Many of the women are employed in jobs ranging from teaching to cleaning.
They also receive a monthly stipend from government as surviving spouses’ beneficiaries, called the widow’s pension. The angry women told SARS officials that after years of receiving legal threats from SARS, they were finally taking action.
Lulama Peteni, one of the march organisers, said SARS claimed she owed close to R40,000, even though she paid a monthly deduction.
Handing over the memorandum to SARS boss Rashid Ishmail, she said: “We want to ask SARS why they are taxing us so much.
“We demand SARS write off widows’ debts and cancel these garnishee orders against us.”
Ntomboxolo Ziqu, from Fort Beaufort, said she was still being taxed after being a widow for 27 years.
“My husband died in 1991, and I was still a young wife and mother. I’m now working as a teacher and SARS is taxing high amounts from me,” she said.
Ishmail welcomed the memorandum.
“SARS is an organ of state that applies the laws given by legislature. We do not have authority to change the laws. We can only do so much, but I will escalate this to the relevant authorities.
“The legislation itself needs to change before SARS can do anything. We apply the law as it is written. SARS wants to uplift citizens, not put them down,” Ishmail said.
We demand SARS write off widows’ debts and cancel garnishee orders