Author: Robert Gad, Nicolette Smit, Megan McCormack, Jo-Paula Roman(tax Directors at ENSAfrica). With virtual currencies such as Bitcoin becoming ever more popular and accessible, it is important that South African taxpayers carefully consider the tax and exchange control uncertainties that accompany the incorporation of these relatively new systems into businesses and/or investment portfolios. We highlight below some of the tax and exchange control consequences arising from transactions involving Bitcoin. We have not considered the tax and exchange control consequences of the mining of Bitcoin, as this will be considered in a separate article.
Author: Nyasha Musviba
Unintended consequences of the new CFC rules
Author: Judith Becker (Tax Associate at ENSAfrica). In the 2017 South African Budget speech, the Minister of Finance raised governments concern that the current Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) rules do not capture foreign companies held by interposed trusts or foundations, and it was announced that countermeasures for the treatment of foreign companies held by trusts or foundations will be considered. Treasury, in an attempt to cover these loopholes, has introduced certain changes into the CFC legislation and a section that might have more disadvantages than Treasury intended.
Lights, camera, action! The tax exemption in respect of films
Authors: Nandipha Mzizi and Louis Botha. From the beginning of the production stage to the actual editing of the final film and exhibition, the industry contributes to the economy, revenue, job creation and economic activity. The results from the economic impact modelling report for 2017, prepared by Urban-Econ Development Economists for the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) (NFVF Report), reveal that the film industry has had a positive economic impact on the South African economy. During the 2016/17 financial year, the film industry in South Africa had a direct impact of R4,4 billion on economic production. The NFVF Report also revealed that the operations of the film industry in South Africa raised the level of production by approximately R12,2 billion in total.
Do foreign financial services providers need to register as external companies?
Authors: Wayne Murray, Lebogang Maimane, John Gillmer and Badian Maasdorp. The Financial Services Board (FSB) sent a letter dated 6 September 2017 to its registered foreign financial services providers (FSPs) advising them that it had come to the attention of the FSB that certain foreign FSPs conducting financial services related business in South Africa (also referred to as the Republic below in quoted legislation) are not registered as external companies in the country. According to the FSB, this registration is required in terms of s23 of the Companies Act, No 71 of 2008 (Companies Act).
The golden rule: SARS clarifies a vendors entitlement to claim input tax in respect of second-hand gold
Author: Varusha Moodaley. Subjection to certain exceptions, the Value-Added Tax Act, No 89 of 1991 (VAT Act) entitles a vendor to claim a notional input tax deduction in respect of second-hand goods acquired under a non-taxable supply, where such second-hand goods are acquired from a resident of the Republic for the purpose of consumption, use or supply in the course of making taxable supplies.
SARS – Medical Deductions Changes
Note: If the information pre-populated on your ITR12 does not match the information reflected on your medical scheme tax certificate(s) which you received from your medical scheme, please click on the Refresh Medical Data button to ensure that data from your latest medical scheme tax certificate(s) is populated onto your ITR12 return. We have introduced a few medical deduction changes to the ITR12 tax return from the 2017 year of assessment onwards. Below is a brief summary on how to complete your medical expenditure on your return:
SARS says pay up, but the court says no: An important case on taxpayers rights
Author: Louis Botha. In Nondabula v Commissioner: SARS and Another (4062/2016) [2017] ZAECMHC 21 (27 June 2017), heard by the Mthatha High Court, Nondabula (Taxpayer), brought an application to interdict the South African Revenue Service (SARS) from invoking the provisions of s179 of the Tax Administration Act, No 28 of 2011 (TAA) pending the final determination of the Taxpayers objection to an additional assessment of his income tax. Furthermore, the Taxpayer sought an order that SARS withdraw its third party notice, in terms of which SARS instructed Absa to withhold and pay over monies held in the Taxpayers bank account.
Transfer pricing and insurance structures in the BEPS Era
Author: Roxanna Nyiri, Director, BDO Tax. Insurance in todays world is no longer limited to a single country and has over the last few decades seen interesting global developments. Reinsurance and cell captive insurance have become an integral part of enterprise risk management. Reinsurance and cell captive insurance not only provide business with tools to manage their risk, limit their cost of insurance, but also to hedge against currency fluctuations. These developments, of course, also have their own unique tax consequences, especially where they span jurisdictional borders. With the advent of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Developments (OECDs) Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) initiatives, tax authorities across the globe are scrutinising insurance structures from a tax perspective, especially with regard to transfer pricing. This increased scrutiny often leads to the cross border pricing related to intercompany insurance related transactions being challenged.
New double-taxation treaties coming in across Africa
Author: Katrina Mabika is Tax Director: Advisory Services for BDO Zambia. Africas enormous potential as an economic growth hub can be realised by consolidating the regions economic integration and facilitating trade and labour mobility across the continent. Double taxation treaties are one of the ways to do this, enhancing our continents attractiveness as a trade destination and protecting the interests of African professionals, who often travel across the region for work.
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL WHO HAS THE FAIREST TAX RATE OF THEM ALL?
Author: Roxanna Nyiri, National Head of Transfer Pricing and International Tax and Director BDO and Jolani Proxenos, International Tax & Transfer Pricing Consultant at BDO. Developing countries (or capital-importing countries) are making strong efforts to attract foreign investments. South Africa and Mauritius are seen as developing countries and have adopted tax incentive regimes to increase their attractiveness for Multinationals to set-up locally.