Overview

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) increasingly tightened enforcement around VAT compliance. Recent court judgments saw taxpayers and practitioners prosecuted and convicted for deliberate contraventions of VAT legislation. This heightened scrutiny made it essential for practitioners and finance teams to strengthen their internal VAT compliance frameworks and be prepared for potential SARS challenges.

This webinar was designed to raise awareness of VAT compliance risks and to equip attendees with practical guidance on preparing for and responding to SARS interventions. It began with an overview of the essential records and documentation that had to be in place before VAT returns were submitted. It further addressed the verification process, including what information should—and should not—have been provided to SARS.

In the event of a dispute, the session unpacked the objection and appeal processes, relevant timeframes, and circumstances where Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) might have been appropriate. It also explored escalation avenues where prescribed remedies did not yield reasonable outcomes.

This session was highly recommended for tax practitioners and finance professionals involved in the VAT function who wished to approach SARS disputes with confidence, structure, and strategic clarity.

Webinar Content

The webinar covered the following key areas:

1. Introduction to the then-current VAT compliance landscape
2. VAT compliance best practices
3. SARS verification processes
4. Objection procedures
5. Appeal procedures
6. Alternative dispute resolution and other available remedies

Competencies Developed

Upon completion of this webinar, participants were able to demonstrate the following:

• Understood the core elements required in a robust VAT compliance framework.
• Identified the most effective and compliant way to respond to SARS verification requests.
• Navigated objection and appeal processes, including applicable deadlines.
• Determined when the Alternative Dispute Resolution route was appropriate.
• Recognized available remedies where formal dispute mechanisms did not provide satisfactory outcomes.
• Implemented structured processes when responding to SARS verifications.
• Accurately lodged objections within prescribed timeframes.
• Properly recorded and managed appeals.
• Navigated the Alternative Dispute Resolution process.
• Escalated matters appropriately within SARS and to the Office of the Tax Ombud where necessary.

Presenter

Christo Theron

(CA(SA) H Dip Tax (Wits) M Com Tax (UP)

Christo is a recognised specialist in the field of indirect taxes. As a technical expert, he is responsible for overseeing the quality of all VAT as well as Customs and Excise opinions issued by TradeTaxPlus.

He is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Master’s Degree in Taxation from the University of Pretoria.

Christo serves as the chairperson of the SAICA VAT Committee and presents most of SAICA’s VAT seminars. He previously presented all VAT seminars for LexisNexis.

He has been involved in UNISA’s Advanced Course in VAT for many years, contributing significantly to developing the programme into one of South Africa’s leading educational tools. He continues to present the course.

CPD

Attending this webinar and the successful completion of the online assessment will secure a certificate of completion for 1 hours of Tax CPD.

Event Investment

Free for Tax Technican, Tax Practitioner, Tax Accountant CPD subscribers and Practice Packages. Not a CPD subscriber yet? Click here to register now.

• Regular price: R230.00
• Group booking discounts available when you register for a group.

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