Latest news with #R70
The South African
2 days ago
- The South African
5 budget-friendly countries South Africans should visit this year
For South Africans who still want to travel the world on a budget, there are still destinations that offer rich experiences at low cost. Whether you're looking for affordability, accessibility, or unique appeal, these five budget-friendly countries will let you travel more and spend less – without compromising on the magic… Albania is what Croatia was 20 years ago – beautiful, budget-friendly, and blissfully uncrowded. The Albanian Riviera has beaches that rival Greece, and the mountain villages feel like stepping back in time. Prices are low, food is fresh and filling, and getting around is easy via minibuses. Visa: E-visa available online. What to expect: Turquoise coves, Ottoman towns, Mediterranean meals for under R100, fewer crowds. If you're after beaches and biodiversity, the Philippines delivers – without the price tag you'd expect from island travel. Ferries and budget-friendly flights make it easy to hop from one paradise to the next. Think limestone cliffs, waterfalls, and some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. South African travellers can eat fresh seafood, snorkel over coral reefs, and party or chill, your choice. Visa: 30 days visa-free. What to expect: Island vibes, white-sand beaches, stunning lagoons, barbecued everything. Bolivia is raw, real, and an incredibly budget-friendly country. Explore La Paz, one of the world's highest cities, or journey into the Amazon for a fraction of what it costs elsewhere. The Uyuni salt flats are surreal, and multi-day tours with food and accommodation are shockingly cheap. You'll live large on a lean budget. Visa: E-visa available for a 90 day stay. What to expect: Salt flats, high-altitude hikes, market stalls, llamas, thick local stews for under R40. Egypt offers South Africans time travel without a luxury price tag. Gaze at the pyramids, cruise the Nile, and visit the Valley of the Kings – all while enjoying budget-friendly food and hotels. Stick to local restaurants and public transport to save even more. You'll be surprised how far your rand can take you here. Visa: E-visa available online for a 30 day stay. What to expect: Timeless ruins, desert sunrises, falafel for breakfast, sailing on a felucca. Sri Lanka is a compact wonderland of tropical beaches, misty mountains, and ancient cities. Ride the scenic train from Kandy to Ella, go on safari to see elephants and leopards, or relax on the southern coast. It's easy to get around, locals are warm and welcoming, and meals rarely cost more than R70. Visa: E-visa available online for a 30 day stay. What to expect: Palm-lined shores, Buddhist temples, flavourful curries, laid-back surf towns. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
4 days ago
- Business
- The South African
SARS cracks down on PAYE, what it means for you
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is focusing on PAYE compliance. This is not just a routine check. Employers across the country must make sure their PAYE submissions are accurate and current, or they will face serious consequences. SARS is focusing more on improving revenue collection as the country deals with financial challenges. PAYE is now a top priority for recovery and enforcement. SARS is hiring 500 new staff members to help with its campaign. They plan to add a total of 2,000 people. Their goal is to raise R70 billion in extra revenue over the next three years. Most of this money is expected to come from addressing unpaid PAYE taxes. SARS PAYE compliance crackdown: The issue of accountability According to Business Tech, the issue of employer responsibility is very important right now. SARS has made it clear that there will be no tolerance for delays or mistakes with PAYE. Companies that do not comply could face penalties, audits, and even legal action. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has warned that the government will cut spending if SARS does not meet its revenue targets. As a result, collections from PAYE have become very important to help avoid these cuts. SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter has emphasised that this effort is not just about collecting revenue; it's also about rebuilding trust and improving the tax agency's systems. By focusing on SARS PAYE, they want to enhance transparency, accountability, and long-term financial stability. What does this mean for employers? SARS is serious about collecting PAYE, and this is not just a short-term effort. Employers must urgently check their payroll systems and make any needed corrections to stay compliant. SARS now has the resources and systems to enforce these rules effectively. Do you think SARS is doing enough to make sure employers follow the rules for PAYE? Or is this effort to enforce compliance overdue? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
R70 million for water budget but taps still run dry
Bushbuckridge residents face severe water shortages while the municipality fails to spend its R70 million water infrastructure grants. Bushbuckridge local municipality in Mpumalanga has come under fire for underspending its allocated water budget while there is a water shortage in its more than 250 villages. In a document recently presented to the council, the municipality acknowledged an inadequate water supply and conceded that all 252 villages had water shortages. It is claimed that in the 2024-25 financial year, the municipality only spent 8.3% of the allocated R40 million water services infrastructure grant as of December 2024 and when asked, it did not give straight answers. Only 8.3% of a R40 million water budget used 'It also spent only 9.1% of the allocated R30 million regional bulk infrastructure grant as of December 2024,' said DA councillor Canuel Mnisi. 'The DA in Bushbuckridge will write to the municipal manager to express its concerns with the underspending of water infrastructure grants while residents are without water.' Mnisi said residents were deprived of basic services because of the municipality's failure. ALSO READ: Battle brews over municipality's missing millions He said that the municipality should start taking accountability and ensure that funds allocated are put to good use for the delivery of services. 'Given a combined shortfall of about R63.9 million, the DA would ask the municipal manager to explain if any more of these grants have been used during the past four months. 'In addition, what measures are in place to ensure that all these grants are utilised by the end of the 2024- 2025 financial year?' said Mnisi. Water woes despite R1 billion Inyaka Dam completion Bushbuckridge's water woes are despite the completion of the R1 billion Inyaka Dam some years ago. In a previous interview with The Citizen, the municipality conceded there was a shortage of water which was attributed to illegal water connections. Political analyst Goodenough Mashego said the underspending should be investigated to establish what exactly is the cause. ALSO READ: Councils take pension billions 'The government entity, department or municipality that returns money to the Treasury, or fails to spend its allocated budget for a particular task is a sign of corruption.'
The Citizen
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Taxpayer battling with a crypto tax nightmare for months
Owing Sars R1.7m from profits he has not made. A Sars official has provided some insight, and hints that there may have been some 'misapplication' in this case. Picture: Shutterstock A taxpayer has been battling with the South African Revenue Service (Sars) for months after receiving an additional assessment of an eye-watering R1.5 million from crypto trade income. The taxpayer made only one deposit of R185 000 with a crypto trading platform in 2021, and subsequently withdrew about R70 000. He was left with an additional assessment of more than R1.7 million after penalties were included. John Godsiff, the aggrieved taxpayer, says the additional assessment was issued on 10 March, and on 13 March he sent a lengthy letter to Sars when he became aware of the additional assessment. He claims he received correspondence from Sars from an unfamiliar address, and when checking his eFiling profile, there was no correspondence verifying the email from Sars. The additional assessment was only placed on his profile at a later stage and could be verified as authentic. ALSO READ: Are you making money with crypto assets? Sars is looking for you 'Bald and threatening' claim The amount was payable on 17 March. According to Godsiff, R16 000 was extracted from his bank account on the same day. Sars presented a 'bald and threatening claim' of the sum of R1 738 398 without supplying 'any helpful background' about where the amount had been sourced, nor any detail as to how the amount had been calculated. Godsiff approached Moneyweb on 18 March, noting that he had attempted to contact Sars via its helpline and had also tried to deal with the matter via the eFiling system. He received no feedback from Sars following his lengthy letter. Sars spokesperson Siphithi Sibeko declined to discuss the matter, noting that Sars is prohibited by Chapter 6 of the Tax Administration Act from divulging any taxpayer information. 'In this respect, Sars will not be commenting. The taxpayer concerned can approached [sic] the nearest Sars Branch and all his questions will be addressed therein.' Following several attempts to obtain an interview with a Sars official to understand how a taxpayer can end up in this situation, Andrew Wes – head of corporate income tax product, process and design at Sars (who was involved in establishing Sars's approach to cryptocurrencies) – explained the process. ALSO READ: Sars' spotlight on crypto traders signals new era of accountability, say experts Treatment of crypto profits The general approach to crypto assets is to treat them as an asset with intangible value – taxpayers will be taxed as if a transaction was a barter transaction. 'The general approach is that crypto assets are to be treated like any other asset for income tax purposes,' Wes told Moneyweb this week. This approach was set out in a media statement in April 2018 when Sars noted that it will continue to apply normal income tax rules to cryptocurrencies and will expect affected taxpayers to declare cryptocurrency gains or losses as part of their taxable income. The onus is on taxpayers to declare all cryptocurrency-related taxable income in the tax year in which it is received or accrued. Failure to do so could result in interest and penalties. ALSO READ: Sars is spying on your social media accounts – Here's why Taxpayer's additional assessment Godsiff's additional assessment for the 2022 tax year indicated an amount of more than R1.5 million for 'income other than turnover' classified as crypto asset profits. He received an understatement penalty of more than R646 000 for 'omission of income' and a penalty of R85 294 due to the underestimation of provisional tax. Godsiff noted that he did not sell any of his funds (besides withdrawing around R70 000) to be able to make such a profit. Two days before he was supposed to pay the additional assessment, he had an amount of R102 217, with a cash balance of R4 153 in his account on the crypto platform. ALSO READ: Unjustified debt collection measures cause unnecessary taxpayer distress Clear as mud Following a visit to a Sars office, he lodged a notice of objection, a remission of penalties, and a suspension of payment. Subsequently, he received a statement of penalty with a null balance and a confirmation of the suspension of payment. 'The position is as clear as mud,' he said. His income tax assessment for the 2023 year was equally 'confusing'. The assessment indicated that he owed Sars an amount of R1.7 million, yet the assessment summary information indicated a net debit amount of 0.00. According to Godsiff, he has not received any further correspondence from Sars. Wes did not comment on the Godsiff matter, stating only that it had been escalated. However, he gave a simple example of how the process is supposed to work. The onus remains on the taxpayer to declare crypto profits or losses and to keep all documents that will offer a reasonable level of proof when there is any request for supporting documentation or in the case of a dispute. If a taxpayer buys crypto assets worth R100 000 and later sells them for R1.2 million, they have a crypto asset profit of R1.1 million, which is subject to tax. 'To the extent that the process deviates from this example there is some misapplication,' said Wes. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
Eyewitness News
13-05-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
CoJ assures residents that prepaid electricity surcharge will remain unchanged at R200 a month
JOHANNESBURG - The City of Johannesburg has assured residents its prepaid electricity surcharge will remain unchanged at R200 a month. This follows a "typo" in its draft budget, which suggested the controversial charge would increase to R270. The surcharge was introduced last year to much public outrage, with the political administration saying it would be reviewed or even scrapped. The City of Johannesburg has completed the public participation process on its draft budget. In an interview with EWN, MMC for Finance, Margaret Arnolds, said that the draft budget had a typo. The typo on the draft tariff section shows a proposal to increase the prepaid electricity surcharge by R70 for the next financial year. "I am going to fight with City Power, because it cannot be on that we have wrong things on there." Arnolds said she had engaged her office to correct the typo. She also said there was no need to redo the public participation process based on a small mistake.
