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1 June 2006

Pretoria - In less than 24 hours since the electronic filing facility for individuals has gone live on the internet, more than 1 500 taxpayers logged onto the South African Revenue Service (SARS) efiling website to register as users or to submit their income tax returns.

SARS is very excited by the response from taxpayers during this short period.

A total of 1 520 users accessed the efiling service by 15h30 today. The total includes 1 401 applications from individuals to register as users, 68 submissions of tax returns and 119 tax practitioners who registered as intermediaries.

By the same time 795 of the 1 401 applications from individuals were activated and approved as efiling users. These figures demonstrate the effectiveness of efiling when it comes to turn around times for processing information.

Between midnight on Wednesday, when efiling went on line and 06h00 this morning, 154 individuals made use of the website.

Extending efiling to individuals is one of the major service initiatives SARS is offering taxpayers during this year’s filing season campaign. The campaign reminds registered taxpayers to file their tax returns by the deadline of 14 July 2006.

Potentially some 2,7 million individuals who earn a basic salary of more than R60 000 per annum or a basic salary with allowances will be able to submit their tax returns through the internet. In these instances the taxpayer would be in possession of an IT 12S or IT 12SS income tax return from SARS.

SARS remains confident that the electronic submission facility will make it more convenient for individuals to file their returns, as well as positively contribute to building a culture of tax compliance in South Africa.

Taxpayers who want to make use of the electronic submission facility:

* must have access to the internet (employers are encouraged to make such internet facilities available to employees)

* must first register for the service on the website, www.sarsefiling.co.za, (there is a 48 hour turnaround time to acknowledge registration by SARS)

* agree to the terms and conditions for use of this service

* be in receipt of an IT 12S or IT 12SS income tax return

* receive income that consists of a basic salary or basic salary plus allowances.

SARS supports the introduction of this service with online instructions and a dedicated call centre: 0860 709 709 with effect from 1 June 2006.

Taxpayers can register for this service at http://www.sarsefiling.co.za

For further enquiries please contact:
Adrian Lackay
SARS Communications
Tel: (012) 422 4206
Cell: 083 388 2580

Issued by: South African Revenue Service (SARS)
1 June 2006