SARS and National Treasury
By Thabo Mosia
SARS and National Treasury Begin Monthly Publication of Debt Collection Data to Enhance Fiscal Transparency and Support Goal of Raising Additional R35 Billion Annually.
The National Treasury, in collaboration with the South African Revenue Service (SARS), has begun the monthly publication of data on cash collected from outstanding taxpayer debt, as part of a broader effort to improve fiscal transparency and boost revenue performance.
This follows the commitment made during the May 2025 Budget Overview, where the Finance Minister announced a drive to improve collections on tax debt and raise an additional R35 billion per year through enhanced enforcement and recovery measures.
New Monthly Reporting Framework
According to the National Treasury, the monthly dataset will include critical indicators such as:
• The SARS debt book (receivables due to SARS);
• The SARS credit book (payables due to taxpayers);
• The cash collected from tax debt, broken down by tax type;
• Historical monthly data, allowing for comparisons and trend analysis.
“The publishing of this data will provide the public with greater insight into the revenue collection performance of SARS and will support improved fiscal planning and management,” said the Treasury.
This initiative builds on the existing annual reporting model used in SARS Annual Reports, but will now offer monthly insights, allowing for real-time tracking of the tax authority’s efforts in recovering owed revenue.
Additional Funding to Strengthen Collections
To support this intensified drive, SARS has been allocated an additional R7.5 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). A significant portion of this funding will be channelled towards scaling up debt collection capacity, including digitised enforcement mechanisms, audits, and investigations.
The aim is to increase debt collections by between R20 billion and R50 billion per year, helping to close the revenue gap and fund key government programmes without placing further strain on compliant taxpayers.
“The published data includes the expected monthly profile of cash collected from debt to raise an additional R35 billion, as mentioned in the Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance on 21 May 2025,” Treasury confirmed.
Improving Compliance and Restoring Trust
The decision to publish this data monthly is also intended to strengthen public confidence in the fairness and capability of the tax administration system. It demonstrates the state’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and improved fiscal discipline.
The monthly reports are expected to highlight:
• Trends in outstanding tax debt;
• Progress in reducing receivables;
• Efficiency of collection measures by tax type (e.g., personal income tax, VAT, corporate income tax);
• The net balance between taxpayer obligations to SARS and SARS’ obligations to taxpayers.
This level of transparency is in line with international best practices and supports the goals of the Fiscal Consolidation Strategy outlined in the 2025 Budget.
Supporting Economic Stability Through Revenue Integrity
With South Africa facing rising fiscal pressures, including higher debt-servicing costs, unfunded public wage agreements, and infrastructure backlogs, the ability to maximise existing revenue streams without increasing taxes is more crucial than ever.
Enhanced debt collection plays a pivotal role in ensuring tax fairness, where compliant taxpayers are not burdened by those who default. SARS will now use data-driven tools, automation, and advanced analytics to identify and pursue delinquent accounts more effectively.
“The monthly publication will allow fiscal authorities to monitor revenue performance more closely and respond rapidly to deviations from forecasted collection levels,” Treasury said.
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