Non-compliers will be detected and will not qualify for the deduction
Since working from home has become far more prevalent, SARS anticipated an influx of these claims and confirmed that they will work hard to detect non-compliance.
It is their intention to give the honest taxpayer a seamless and pleasant experience, but for the dishonest or negligent taxpayer it will be hard and even costly if they are non-compliant.
For this reason, taxpayers who claim the deduction, and especially those who claim it for the first time, will be subjected to an audit.
To date, SARS received 10 000 claims from taxpayers for the deduction of home office expenses. Of these claims, 8 500 were selected and deferred for further verification or an audit, and 70% were denied due to non-compliance. This amounts to a disallowance rate of around 60% of all claims.
Employment and labour director general Thobile Lamati said Unemployment Insurance Fund commissioner Tebogo Maruping was back at the department - but not in his position.