Tax season is finally up and running, and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has already auto-assessed about 1.9 million taxpayers
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Tax season is finally up and running, and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has already auto-assessed about 1.9 million taxpayers. But while many individuals are receiving ready-made assessments, others are being left outside the system.
IOL previously reported that the revenue service expects to auto-assess about six million taxpayers during the 2026 filing season. SARS Commissioner Dr Johnstone Makhubu also said the revenue service has expanded its auto-assessment programme and will include an additional 200,000 provisional taxpayers with relatively simple tax affairs.
Auto-assessment allows the revenue service to use information received from employers, banks, medical schemes, retirement funds and other third-party data providers to calculate a taxpayer's tax position automatically.
Taxpayers selected for auto-assessment receive notifications from SARS in batches and can review their assessments through eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.
The revenue service said that about R8 billion was paid out in tax refunds within 72 hours of the opening of the 2026 filing season.
"As at the end of July 1, 2026, more than 1.9 million taxpayers were auto-assessed, with about R8 billion in refunds paid out in 72 hours," SARS said.
However, not everyone will be lucky enough to be included in the auto-assessment system. The revenue service said the process only works where taxpayer information is complete, consistent and verified through third-party data sources such as employers and banks.
"You will not receive an Auto Assessment if your personal information is incomplete (you can update your details on eFiling). You will also not be Auto Assessed if you received income other than employment and investment income, e.g. rental income," the revenue service said.
In practice, this means auto-assessments are reserved for taxpayers whose tax affairs are straightforward and whose income can be verified through information submitted by third parties. Taxpayers with more complex financial affairs, missing information or income that SARS cannot verify automatically will generally need to submit a tax return during the normal filing season.
For instance, taxpayers who earn business or foreign income, have capital gains, multiple sources of income or other information that cannot be verified through third-party data, will generally not qualify for auto-assessment
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