Pretoria: Over 5.8 million taxpayers in South Africa have received Auto Assessments as the 2025 tax filing season begins, marking an increase from last year’s five million, according to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Notably, 99.6% of these assessments have remained unchanged, and SARS has already paid R10.6 billion in refunds to taxpayers within 72 hours.

According to South African Government News Agency, the Auto Assessment period, which successfully concluded between 7 and 20 July 2025, precedes the tax filing period for individual taxpayers via eFiling and the SARS MobiApp from 21 July to 20 October 2025. Provisional taxpayers have until 19 January 2026 to file their returns. SARS uses data from third-party providers for Auto Assessments, aligning with its goal to simplify the tax process for taxpayers.

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter praised the Auto Assessment system as a transformative measure that facilitates compliance, urging taxpayers to utilize digital channels for filing. He emphasized the efficiency of SARS’s digital platforms, which provide assessment outcomes within seconds and help prevent impermissible or fraudulent refunds through advanced AI models.

Taxpayers are advised to submit accurate information promptly to avoid penalties, and those who owe SARS should arrange payments swiftly. Refunds over R100 are automatically processed within 72 hours post-assessment. SARS also cautioned taxpayers to safeguard their details against scams, reminding them that SARS will never request engagement through external links. Further information on scams is available on the SARS website.

For a seamless filing experience, SARS encourages taxpayers to use various communication channels, including the SARS website, Online Query System, WhatsApp, AI Virtual Assistant, and YouTube tutorials.