Sars to close branches due to Covid surge

The South African Revenue Service (Sars) announced yesterday that its tax branches will close temporarily from 1 July and that it is planning to resume physical branch visits on 16 August, while reviewing this continuously.

Branch filing will therefore not start on 1 July and taxpayers must not go to Sars branches. However, the temporary closure of the tax branches will not affect the start of the filing season for individuals who traditionally file via eFiling or the Sars Mobi app.

According to Sars, it remains an essential service in terms of the Disaster Management Act. “We have stressed the importance of balancing the continuity of this service with the risk of transmission,” a spokesperson said.

“With the rising case numbers and the onset of the third wave of the pandemic, we have decided to close our branches temporarily for physical visits because our digital platforms allow taxpayers to continue to fulfil their obligations online, as demonstrated during the peak of the second wave.”

During this time, taxpayers who require assistance to file online will be helped telephonically with the support of dedicated Sars staff. Taxpayers can book make virtual appointments on the Sars website at https://www.sars.gov. za/contact-us/make-an-appointment/. They can also send an SMS to 47277 with the word “Booking” and their passport or ID number, or asylum permit number for a Sars agent to arrange a booking.

Taxpayers can also use the Sars digital platforms by visiting www.sars.gov.za, or call the Sars contact centre on 0800-00-7277.

Sars said it will continue to monitor the evolving Covid-19 pandemic and keep all taxpayers informed of any changes to these arrangements.

All customs ports of entry will be open for front-line customs operations, but no face-to-face client engagement other than that required for clearance and inspection.