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The South African Revenue Service (SARS) continues to make good its commitment to call non-compliant South African taxpayers to account, most recently collaborating with the Irish Tax Authority (“ITA”) to identify South Africans operating Airbnb businesses in Ireland. In March 2022, SARS issued the ITA with an exchange of information request related to South African resident Airbnb hosts in Ireland that were suspected of either not declaring, or not fully declaring their income. 

Automatic exchange of information aimed to eradicate non-compliance.

It has come to light in March 2022, that the Irish Tax Authority (“ITA”) has reached out to Airbnb Ireland UC (“Airbnb”), for the disclosure of specific information, as pertains to income generated from the online accommodation booking platform, across both current and historical transactions. This arose after the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) issued an exchange of information request to the ITA pertaining to South African resident hosts not having their Airbnb in order. The ITA actioned immediately, engaging Airbnb for the transactional l...

On 31 January 2022, SARS hosted a public workshop to discuss the draft Voluntary Disclosure Programme Guide and uncertainties about the Voluntary Disclosure Programme process. As part of its ongoing efforts to reform its Voluntary Disclosure Programme (VDP), the South African Revenue Service (SARS) hosted another workshop with interested stakeholders, primarily to discuss comments on its draft VDP Guide. 

Uncertainties are sure to deter taxpayers from revealing details of non-compliance.