Tax practitioners to register with SARS

On 14 May 2013, the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) along with the Institute of Accounting and Commerce (IAC), the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and the South African Institute of Tax Practitioners (SAIT) became recognised by SARS as controlling bodies. All tax practitioners, including those who are currently registered with SARS, will have to apply for re-registration as tax practitioners.

Taxpayers to check practitioners' registration status

"One cannot however assume that all tax practitioners have read the Tax Administration Act, or are existing members of professional bodies that will have kept them abreast of developments," warns Faith Ngwenya, technical and standards executive at SAIPA. "That could mean that many tax practitioners may not even be aware of the registration requirements at all."

"We urge taxpayers to enquire about the registration status of their tax practitioners," says Ngwenya. "If business and individual taxpayers don't do this they run the risk of, come August, finding that the practitioner they usually use is no longer allowed to operate and will then have to scramble to find a registered practitioner."

Rigorous requirements

"Those tax practitioners who are not already members of a professional body, or who are members of a professional body that is not recognised by SARS, have a real challenge in obtaining the requisite membership come 1 July," Ngwenya points out. "Time is short, so I am advising all tax practitioners to make their plans now."

SAIPA, for example, has rigorous entry requirements. A potential member must have a relevant academic qualification and years of verifiable experience, and must also write a SAIPA examination to be admitted for membership to the SAIPA Centre of Tax Excellence.