The Standing Committee on Finance today conducted public hearings on the 2026 draft Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill (Rates Bill), the draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB) and the draft Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill (TALAB), providing stakeholders with an opportunity to raise concerns and make recommendations on proposed changes to South Africa’s tax framework.
The public hearings form part of Parliament’s public participation process on the three Bills, which collectively give effect to changes and technical amendments to South Africa’s tax legislation.
As a standard practice, upon receipt of the draft bills the committee then invites written and oral submissions from interested parties and stakeholders. Ten stakeholders made oral submissions at Wednesday’s public hearings. They are the South African Institute of Taxation, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, PKF South Africa, Ms Keitumetse Sesana, the Alternative Information and Development Centre, Vaping Saved My Life, British American Tobacco South Africa, South African Liquor Brandowners Association, Wine SA and South African Breweries.
Committee Chairperson Dr Joe Maswanganyi said that the hearings were an important part of Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to ensure that tax legislation is subjected to meaningful public scrutiny before it is finalised.
He emphasised that the committee’s consideration of the bills must take account of the practical implications of the proposed amendments for taxpayers, businesses and the broader economy, while ensuring that the legislative process remains open to evidence and informed submissions from affected stakeholders. “The public hearings are an important opportunity for Parliament to listen to those who will be affected by these proposed changes and to consider their submissions before the committee finalises its work,” said Dr Maswanganyi.
The 2026 draft Rates Bill proposes, among other things, changes to normal tax rates, customs and excise duties, VAT thresholds, the Diamond Export Levy and Carbon Tax.
The draft TLAB contains proposed substantive amendments to tax legislation, including provisions dealing with the application of the de minimis limit for lump sums where multiple living annuities are held, donations tax where a spouse is a non-resident, domestic transfer pricing rules for special economic zones, leasehold improvements and refunds relating to carbon-budget compliance.
The draft TALAB, meanwhile, proposes amendments relating to the administration of the tax system. Among the measures proposed are provisions concerning Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission (ATA) carnets, documentary requirements for second-hand goods, screening of refunds by banks and interest relief on defaults disclosed through voluntary disclosure applications.
Dr Maswanganyi said the committee would consider the representations made during the hearings alongside written submissions as well as the responses of National Treasury and the South African Revenue Service (SARS). “Our role is to listen, interrogate and consider the evidence before the committee. The submissions received today will therefore be considered as part of the committee’s deliberations on the bills,” he said.
Justice Molafo
30 September 2026
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