Tax Administration Act: Fulfilling human rights through efficient and effective tax administration

Table of Contents

Paper by: Dr Fareed Moosa

Public finance is vital for enabling effective governance, maintaining law and order, promoting peace and prosperity, facilitating the reconstruction and redevelopment of national infrastructure, and providing access to social goods (such as, education and social security). Efficient and effective tax administration is an essential pillar of a modern, democratic state. This article aims to show that the Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011 (TAA) is unmistakably aimed at advancing the public interest. The kernel of its aims is ensuring the proper collection of tax. This purpose is reconcilable with the principle in South Africa’s Constitution (s 195(1)) requiring efficiency in public administration, of which tax administration forms an integral part. Furthermore, the aims of the TAA are consistent with the South African Revenue Service Act (s 3) stating that SARS’s objective is the “efficient and effective collection of revenue”. In so doing, the TAA serve to enhance fulfilment of the Constitution’s underlying goals. This is so because the TAA is geared towards ensuring the availability of adequate public resources for public benefit or use in the public interest.

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Dimension Transfer Pricing International Taxation South African Tax Law
Jurisdictional audience Global audience, covers all jurisdictions Global audience, covers all jurisdictions South Africa specific, relevant to SADC region
Ideal for TP managers, advisors, in-house tax teams, analysts moving into TP Advisors and managers dealing with cross-border rules, treaties, planning Practitioners working with the SA Income Tax Act, cases, compliance
Core focus Methods, comparables, DEMPE, documentation, audits, dispute defence Treaties, source vs residence, anti-avoidance, PE, relief from double tax Statutory interpretation, case law, assessments, objections, local practice
Primary tools OECD TP Guidelines, UN Manual, BEPS Actions 8–10, 13, case law OECD and UN Models, MLI, BEPS 1.0 and 2.0, domestic rules, cases Income Tax Act, SARS practice notes, Tax Administration Act, SA cases
Assessment style Case-based assignments, file reviews, short written defences Problem questions, treaty interpretation, position papers Problem questions, statutory analysis, case commentary
Typical outcomes Build defensible TP files and strategies, improve audit readiness Design cross-border structures within rules, mitigate double tax Apply SA tax law accurately, manage reviews and disputes
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Dimension Conducting a Transfer Pricing Trial Effectively Managing Tax Teams Indirect Taxation Tax Risk Management
Jurisdictional audience Global audience Global audience Global audience, with local adaptation Global audience
Ideal for In-house tax, TP managers, litigators, advisors preparing for audits, ADR, trial Heads of tax, managers, team leads, controllers, emerging leaders VAT, GST, customs, finance managers, AP, AR, compliance specialists Tax managers, risk officers, controllers, advisors building governance
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Prerequisites TP fundamentals recommended Supervisory experience helpful Basic VAT knowledge helpful General tax experience helpful
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5000-word assignment if PG-Cert option elected
End of module progress assessment

5000-word assignment if PG-Cert option elected
End of module progress assessment

5000-word assignment if PG-Cert option elected
End of module progress assessment

5000-word assignment if PG-Cert option elected