Annual Tax Update (Part 2)
Presenters : Adv Christel van Wyk
Overview
The era of manual, random tax audits is officially over. As South Africa moves deeper into 2026, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has fully operationalised its "Smart Modernisation" strategy. Driven by advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and massive third-party data integration, SARS is shifting from reactive tax collection to real-time, automated enforcement. Bank statements, asset registries and payroll systems are now cross-referenced against declarations before a return is even processed.
For legal practitioners, corporate counsel and tax advisors, the implications are immediate. A simple data mismatch that might have previously gone unnoticed will now trigger an automated, integrated audit across all tax streams. Furthermore, the relentless regulatory push for transparency has drastically increased the compliance burden for trusts, particularly concerning beneficial ownership reporting.
Join Christel van Wyk for Part 2 of the Annual Tax Update. This session provides a comprehensive breakdown of the latest legislative amendments, operational shifts at SARS, and exactly how legal practitioners must adapt their service delivery to protect their clients in a data-driven tax environment.
Learning objectives
Attending this webinar will equip you with the following skills:
-
Understand the scope and impact of SARS's "Smart Modernisation" drive and AI implementation.
-
Identify how the latest 2026 tax initiatives and automated audit processes will directly impact your clients’ businesses.
-
Apply the latest legislative and administrative changes in daily legal and tax advisory practice.
-
Recognise the underlying compliance requirements of relevant legislative provisions, particularly regarding trusts and small businesses.
-
Evaluate and adapt your legal service delivery and dispute resolution strategies in response to these operational shifts.
Content
The webinar will cover the following topics:
-
Corporate Tax Changes & Small Business Developments
-
2026 Budget updates to Small Business Corporation (SBC) tax rates
-
Increased turnover tax threshold for micro-businesses
-
Trust Administration & Compliance
-
Beneficial ownership requirements
-
Enhanced reporting obligations
-
Increased administrative burden and compliance expectations
-
SARS Operational Issues & “Smart Modernisation”
-
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in tax administration
-
Integration of third-party data
-
Key Operational Shifts
-
Automated audits and verification processes
-
Debt collection strategies and enforcement
-
VAT refund processes
-
Increasing compliance requirements