SARS considers office closure from July, due to Covid-19 surge!

As the defiant Delta variant shoves Covid-19 in the country, the South African Revenue Services (SARS) announces temporarily office closure at all branches to minimize risks of contracting Covid-19.

However, it further stated it will be business as usual as the agency will offer services online.

South Africa has officially entered the third wave of Covid-19 with daily cases continuing to climb, and this means for major corporates and public entities they will be forced to consider office closures, or to limit their staff at work places.

In a released statement, Acting SARS commissioner, Johnstone Makhubu says this will help avoid the peak witnessed during the first and last weeks of the filing season.

“With the rising case numbers and the onset of the third wave peak of the pandemic, we have decided to close our tax branches temporarily for physical visits as from Thursday 01 July 2021.

“We are able to do so because the SARS digital platforms, as demonstrated during the peak of the second wave, allows taxpayers to continue to fulfil their obligations online,” SARS said.

The agency advised taxpayers to not visit any of SARS branches, as they will be closed.

“The branches will be closed until an announcement is made confirming the reopening date,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, office of the Presidency announced on Saturday that President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on Sunday, 27 June 2021 at 20:00. This comes after his meeting with the National Coronavirus Command Council and as the country battles a third coronavirus wave.