Dealing with Sars has become ‘inhumanely stressful’. Even those who deal with large multinationals say it is increasingly difficult, despite all the advances in technology. Picture: Shutterstock A candid letter from a seasoned tax practitioner who worked for the South African Revenue Service (Sars) for 38 years has struck a nerve across the industry, laying bare the mounting strain of inconsistent processes at the tax agency.
In her letter, Charné van der Walt – widely known as the ‘Lemon Lady’ – recognises Sars’s responsibility for collecting tax, but argues that the way it is carried out is “sometimes unfair, often frustrating, and, more often than not, inconsistent”. She says her clients are losing respect for her and other tax practitioners because they wait longer for tax matters to be finalised, despite better technology. Van der Walt poses a long list of questions, describing them as “questions that must be asked”.
Several taxpayers and tax practitioners reacted to the letter, throwing their weight behind Van der Walt. “Despite the large contribution that we make in terms of collections and compliance there is no respect or appreciation for this profession, mainly in how Sars treats us and our clients losing respect for us because of Sars’s mistakes.” The commentator believes there will be a shortage of practitioners in the next 10 years.
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