NEWS IN BRIEF

Report illegal firearm dealings

The Hawks have urged members of the public to report any illegal firearm dealings in communities.

The specialist crime fighting unit has intensified operations to seize firearms from people involved in firearm trafficking, the illegal distribution thereof and legal entities involved in corruption and other illegal practices relating to firearms.

“The general public is urged to report illegal firearms to Crime Stop or the provincial offices of the National Bureau for Illegal Firearm Control and Priority Violent Crime (NBIFCPVC), which are established countrywide within the Hawks,” the Hawks said on Wednesday.

This call follows the seizure of 323 firearms from a firearm dealer in Pretoria last week on allegations of contravening the Firearms Control Act. – SAnews.gov.za

eFiling deadline tomorrow

Provisional taxpayers have until 31 January to file their income tax returns, their IRP6 documents, to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) through eFiling.

A provisional taxpayer is any person who receives income, or to whom income accrues, other than a salary. This includes persons who receive rental income from a property, taxable interest income from investments or other income from a trade.

SARS reminded taxpayers that channels such as the SARS mobisite, available at www. sarsefiling.mobi, are available for easy filing via one’s mobile device.

It said late submission will result in penalties.

“As a separate matter, the deadline of 31 January also applies to payments from individual taxpayers who filed personal income tax returns last year and were assessed to owe SARS money.

“While harsh penalties and interest apply to late payments on the other hand, taxpayers in financial difficulty can approach SARS to defer payment or pay in instalments within qualifying criteria,” SARS said in a statement.

Taxpayers who wish to make payment arrangements are advised to go to their nearest SARS branch or call the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277.

Three main payment channels are available, including eFiling, via a bank or EFT.

SARS branches do not accept payments, whether cash or cheque. – SAnews.gov.za

AU summit closes with calls for eradicating corruption

The 30th African Union (AU) summit concluded on Monday with a call for strengthening African unity and the fight against corruption. The summit, which was held at the headquarters of the pan African block in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa from 22 – 29 January, underscored the need to eradicate corruption and poverty on the African content, together with fast-tracking the realisation of AU's flagship Agenda 2063.

Paul Kagame, Rwandan President and current chair of the African Union, said in his closing remarks that the summit was successful, with major decisions that will go a long way in helping the continent achieve its short, medium and long-term goals and prosperity of Africa.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chair of the AU Commission, said the choice of the fight against corruption is a “very relevant choice”.

"This scourge is impacting the development of Africa," he said, adding that "it is a necessary imperative to fight corruption, which is a matter that has to be everyone's concern”.

– SAnews.gov.za-Xinhua