The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has taken a major step forward this tax season by issuing 5.8 million auto-assessments to individual taxpayers between 7 and 20 July 2025. This expansion of the auto-assessment system builds on last year’s efforts and reflects SARS’s ongoing commitment to streamlining tax compliance.
The initiative is part of SARS’s broader “make tax just happen” strategy, which uses third-party data from employers, banks, medical aid schemes, and retirement funds to automatically generate tax assessments for individuals with relatively straightforward financial profiles.
Taxpayers receive their assessments via SMS or email, and if the data is accurate, they can simply accept it without needing to submit anything further. Those who disagree or notice omissions can still amend their returns through eFiling or the SARS MobiApp. The deadline for submitting revised returns is 20 October 2025 for standard taxpayers and 19 January 2026 for provisional taxpayers.
The results have already been impressive, with SARS having refunded a total of R10.6 billion to qualifying individuals. Most refunds are processed within 72 hours of assessment, offering swift relief to taxpayers during economically strained times. While this automation makes the process more efficient, experts have urged taxpayers to review their assessments carefully.
In some cases, deductions such as medical expenses, home-office costs, travel allowances, or charitable contributions may not be included in the auto-generated return. Failing to review and amend such details could result in missed refunds or inaccurate filings. Around 99.6% of those who received auto-assessments accepted them without changes, indicating a high level of trust in the system, but also raising concerns that some taxpayers may not be fully aware of what’s missing.
Not all taxpayers are eligible for auto-assessment. About 200,000 individuals were excluded due to the complexity of their financial situations, including income from rental properties, foreign earnings, trusts, or capital gains. Others were excluded because of missing or mismatched demographic information or a history of audits or amended returns.
These taxpayers are required to file their tax returns manually. SARS encourages all taxpayers to check their tax certificates on the eFiling platform to ensure that third-party data was captured correctly. If discrepancies are found, individuals must contact the original data providers, such as employers or financial institutions, to correct the information before submitting a return.
SARS has also ramped up its digital engagement tools this year. Since early July, over 10.2 million digital logins have been recorded across its platforms, and more than 2.1 million taxpayer queries have been resolved using its Online Query System, WhatsApp line, and the Lwazi chatbot. These tools are part of SARS’s strategy to reduce physical visits to tax offices by offering user-friendly online alternatives.
Commissioner Edward Kieswetter emphasized that the agency’s goal is to make tax compliance seamless and convenient, urging citizens to take advantage of these services and to protect themselves from scams. SARS has issued warnings about fraudulent messages that may appear to come from the agency, reminding taxpayers that it never includes clickable links in emails or texts and that they should report any suspicious activity to phishing@sars.gov.za.
The success of the 2025 auto-assessment season demonstrates how far SARS has come in digitizing its operations, but it also highlights the importance of personal responsibility in tax matters. Even in an era where technology simplifies many tasks, individual taxpayers still need to verify their information, understand their entitlements, and ensure their tax filings reflect their full financial picture. Trust in the system is growing, but due diligence remains essential.
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