With mere hours remaining until the October 20 tax deadline, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has issued a final, urgent call to the more than 850,000 taxpayers who have yet to file their returns.
The revenue service confirmed it has already received over 7.9 million submissions for the 2025 tax season, representing nearly 80% of expected returns. However, a significant number of non-provisional taxpayers remain outstanding, risking immediate financial penalties for missing the Monday, October 20, 2025, cutoff.
Luncedo Mtwentwe, Managing Director at Vintage Advisory, clarified the stakes for last-minute filers in a televised interview. He detailed that penalties for non-compliance begin at R250 per month and can escalate dramatically based on an individual’s income.
“In principle it is R250, it can reach up to R16,000 per month if you are not submitting,” Mtwentwe stated. He further warned that on top of these penalties, SARS can levy interest at a rate of approximately 7%.
Mtwentwe emphasized that the October 20 deadline is specifically for non-provisional taxpayers, which he defined as individuals who earn a salary from an employer. This group is distinct from provisional taxpayers, who have different submission deadlines.
He urged all non-provisional taxpayers who have not yet been auto-assessed to log into their eFiling profiles immediately and submit their returns for the financial year covering March 1, 2024, to February 28, 2025.
The expert also provided crucial advice for employees, stressing the importance of verifying that the information on their IRP5 certificates matches their monthly payslips and employment contracts.
“Rule number one is you have to get a pay slip every month right and you have to review that pay slip,” Mtwentwe said. He explained that discrepancies could lead to individuals being either under-taxed or over-taxed. He also reminded taxpayers to declare all relevant deductions, such as medical aid contributions, retirement annuities, and home office expenses, to accurately reduce their taxable income.
For those who miss the deadline, Mtwentwe noted that there may be avenues to apply for a remission of penalties and interest, but only in specific circumstances, such as delays caused by an employer that were beyond the taxpayer’s control.
With the clock ticking down, the message from SARS and tax experts is unequivocal: file now to avoid starting a costly cycle of monthly penalties.