![SARS offices will be open on Saturdays throughout the month of October.](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/51/2016/10/calculator-385506_640.jpg)
AS the tax season is drawing closer to the end, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has extended its branch operating hours. Taxpayers now have less than a month left to file their personal income tax returns. This year’s tax season which opened on 1 July 2018, will close on 31 October for non-provisional taxpayers and for those provisional taxpayers who opt to file at a branch.
In a statement the South African Revenue Service (SARS) said, “The focus this filing season has been on the 24-hour eFiling channel which taxpayers can use at their leisure without having to go to a branch. eFilers are supported by the Help-You-eFile mechanism during business hours, which links them to a SARS contact centre agent who can assist the taxpayer to complete their tax return.”
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SARS said during the month of October, all its branches will be open even on weekends.
“In the last month of filing season, the SARS contact centre will be available on Saturdays on 6 – 27 October from 8am to 1 pm, to support taxpayers with eFiling. All SARS branches will also be open on Saturdays at the same time where taxpayers can make use of self-help kiosks to electronically file their personal income tax returns,” said SARS.
To date, SARS is close to reaching the 3-million mark in tax return submissions for the current year of assessment. This is approximately a 4 per cent increase compared to the same time last year. Of these returns, 51 per cent have been submitted through eFiling.
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