Galbraith Rushby

13/10/2026

VAT IS GOING DIGITAL. IS YOUR BUSINESS READY?

SARS's VAT Modernisation programme is entering an important stage, with stakeholder comments on its consultation paper closing on 16 October.

But the bigger story isn't the consultation deadline.
It's the direction VAT administration is heading.

SARS continues to invest in digital systems, better data and more automated processes designed to make compliance easier - and non-compliance easier to detect.

For businesses, this means good VAT administration is increasingly going to depend on the quality of the information sitting behind the return.

Think:
✓ Accurate tax invoices
✓ Clean accounting data
✓ Correct VAT classifications
✓ Proper supporting documentation
✓ Regular reconciliations
✓ Systems that talk to one another

Digital tax administration may make submitting returns easier.
It doesn't make inaccurate records less risky.

07/10/2026

The deadline for non-provisional individual taxpayers is 23 October 2026.
Provisional taxpayers have until 22 January 2027.

Before you hit SUBMIT, check:
✓ Is all your income reflected?
✓ Are investment and rental amounts correct?
✓ Have you declared relevant foreign income?
✓ Are medical and retirement contributions correct?
✓ Have you considered any capital gains?
✓ Does the pre-populated information actually match your records?

Because:
Pre-populated doesn't mean automatically correct.
And submitted doesn't necessarily mean compliant.

Need help? Speak to your Galbraith Rushby consultant before the deadline rush.

28/09/2026

Thinking about selling your business? The tax conversation should start before the sale does.

When GR director Jeneen Galbraith attended her 40-year school reunion, she probably wasn't expecting to find herself discussing Capital Gains Tax.

But when an old school friend mentioned she was selling a business in another African country, one question quickly came up:

“What tax am I going to pay?”

As Jeneen explains in her latest article, the answer depends on much more than the selling price.

Selling shares, selling the underlying business assets or receiving the proceeds as a dividend can all have very different tax consequences. And qualifying small business owners may also have access to valuable CGT relief - including, in certain circumstances, a R2.7 million lifetime small-business capital gains exclusion.

The lesson?

Don't spend years building a business and only ask about the tax when you're ready to sign the sale agreement.

Good tax planning starts well before the transaction.

Read Jeneen's full article here: https://galbraithrushby.co.za/a-school-reunion-a-business-sale-and-an-unexpected-tax-lesson/

After years spent building a business, the last thing you want is to discover the tax consequences when the sale agreement is already on the table. Selling shares, selling the underlying assets or taking the proceeds as a distribution may lead to very different tax outcomes. And for qualifying small...

23/09/2026

A will is important. But it's only part of the plan.

Your will sets out what you'd like to happen to your assets when you're gone - but good estate planning asks some equally important questions.

Will your estate have enough cash to meet its obligations? Are your beneficiaries still correct? What happens to your business? Who will manage your affairs? And will the people you've provided for actually receive what you intended them to?

Life changes. Families change. Assets change. Businesses grow.

Your estate plan should change with them.

Read the article: https://galbraithrushby.co.za/your-will-is-only-part-of-the-plan/
For help reviewing your will and broader estate plan, speak to your Galbraith Rushby consultant. [021 4473840]

Signing a will is not the end of estate planning. It is the starting point. It may be worth taking a closer look at the bigger picture - your assets, liabilities, family circumstances, business interests, trusts, tax exposure and, importantly, the liquidity your estate will need when the time comes.

17/09/2026

Think your trust is "dormant"? SARS may see things differently.

Trust Filing Season opens on 19 September, and SARS has already indicated that nil returns and assessed losses will be a focus area this year.

Even a relatively passive trust may still have assets, liabilities and other information that needs to be declared.

And remember: while your accountant or tax practitioner can assist with the return, trustees remain responsible for the trust's compliance.

Now is the time to get your trust affairs in order.

15/09/2026

New rules for trusts could be coming.

The proposed Regulation of Trusts Bill, 2026 could significantly change how South African trusts are governed and administered.

It is still draft legislation - but it signals a continued move towards greater accountability, transparency and protection for beneficiaries.

If you're a trustee, founder or beneficiary, this is one development worth keeping on your radar.

We'll keep you updated as it progresses.

08/09/2026

Do you have a will? Great. But do you have an estate plan?

With Wills Week around the corner, it's a good time to think beyond simply having a signed will tucked away somewhere.

Good estate planning is about protecting your family's financial future and making sure your affairs are structured so that your wishes can be carried out with as little stress, uncertainty and financial hardship as possible.

Ask yourself:
✓ Is my will up to date?
✓ Have my family circumstances changed?
✓ Have I chosen the right executor?
✓ Will my estate have enough cash to settle its obligations?
✓ Are my beneficiary nominations still correct?
✓ What happens to my business or other significant assets?

Your life changes. Your estate plan should change with it.

Ahead of Wills Week, take the opportunity to review yours.

Read Estate Planning: Why it matters and how to do it right by Prelene Neerputh.
https://galbraithrushby.co.za/estate-planning-why-it-matters-and-how-to-do-it-right/

Proper estate planning during one's lifetime - a valid will, sufficient liquidity and careful structuring of assets - ensures the winding up of an estate is smoother, faster and less costly.

03/09/2026

Apparently, accountants never really get a night off… even at a 40-year school reunion.

A recent reunion for Galbraith Rushby director Jeneen Galbraith took an unexpected turn when an old school friend mentioned that she was selling a business she owned in another African country.

Naturally, the question followed:
"What tax am I going to pay?"

As Jeneen explained, that's where things get interesting.
"Selling a business" can mean very different things from a tax perspective. Are you selling the shares in the company? Is the company selling its assets? Will the proceeds ultimately be paid out as a dividend? Is it a qualifying small business? And, if the business is offshore, which country actually has the right to tax the gain?

Each route can produce a very different tax outcome.

As highlighted in a recent Two Oceans Vibe article, there can also be valuable relief available. For the 2027 year of assessment, qualifying business owners aged 55 or older - or disposing because of ill health, infirmity or death - may be able to disregard up to R2.7 million in capital gains on qualifying small-business assets. It is a lifetime cumulative exclusion and comes with specific requirements, including a gross asset threshold of R15 million.

Cross-border transactions add another layer. Even where a Double Taxation Agreement gives South Africa the taxing right, withholding tax in another jurisdiction can create an unwelcome cash-flow headache.

And that brings us to the real lesson from Jeneen's school reunion:
If you've spent years building a business, don't wait until you're selling it to ask how SARS sees the deal.

Good tax planning isn't about avoiding tax. It's about understanding the implications before you sign on the dotted line - and structuring a transaction with your eyes open.

A 40-year school reunion, a business sale and a R2.7 million tax lesson. Who said tax couldn't make good dinner conversation?

Read the Two Oceans Vibe article: https://www.2oceansvibe.com/business/finance-2/accountant-reunion-tax-sale-august-2026/

A 40-year school reunion turned into a useful reminder that selling a foreign business can mean shares, assets, dividends, CGT relief and offshore withholding tax.

24/08/2026

Some welcome movement for South Africa's film and television industry.

After months of uncertainty around South Africa's Film and Television Production Incentive, the Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) and Save SA Film & TV Jobs Coalition appeared before Parliament on 11 August with industry and the DTIC agreeing on a way forward to tackle the incentive backlog and address the longer-term problems within the system.

The industry has been calling for urgent intervention over delayed and disputed rebates, inconsistent administration and the knock-on effect this has had on production companies, suppliers and thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on the sector.

And this isn't simply a film industry issue.

South Africa's production sector brings international spend into the country and supports an extensive ecosystem of businesses—from studios, equipment and post-production to accommodation, transport, catering, construction and freelancers. Government itself recognises the incentives as a mechanism to attract foreign productions and develop South Africa's creative and technical skills base.

So, what does the latest development mean?

The establishment of structured workgroups between the DTIC and industry is an important step towards resolving outstanding claims, creating greater certainty around the incentive programme and, importantly, reforming a system that needs to work if South Africa is to remain competitive internationally.

Jeneen's take:
"For businesses in the film sector, certainty is everything. Incentives form part of production financing and cash-flow planning, so lengthy delays don't affect one line on a balance sheet - they ripple through an entire production ecosystem."

There is still work to be done, and an agreed action plan is not the same as money in the bank. But getting government and industry around the same table, with defined workstreams and a shared objective, is progress worth watching.

For production companies, this is also a timely reminder that sound accounting, audit-ready records and careful compliance with incentive requirements remain essential when applying for or claiming rebates.

Galbraith Rushby works with clients across the film and production sector, including audit and DTIC Film Rebate requirements and this is very welcome news.

19/08/2026

Is your business PAIA compliant?

Many businesses have focused on POPIA in recent years—but PAIA compliance is just as important.

If your business collects personal information or deals with requests for access to records, you may have legal obligations under the Promotion of Access to Information Act.

Now is a good time to check that:

✔️ Your PAIA Manual is current
✔️ Your Information Officer is registered
✔️ Your compliance processes are in place

📖 Read our latest article:
PAIA Compliance: The Forgotten Law Is Getting Teeth
https://galbraithrushby.co.za/paia-compliance-the-forgotten-law-is-getting-teeth/
If you have questions about your compliance obligations, contact your dedicated Galbraith Rushby consultant.



Instagram
Think your business is compliant?
Many organisations have ticked the POPIA box…
…but have you checked your PAIA compliance?

✔️ PAIA Manual
✔️ Information Officer
✔️ Information request procedures

It's a small compliance step that can make a big difference.

📖 Read our latest article to learn more.



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IS YOUR BUSINESS PAIA COMPLIANT?
Subheading:
The forgotten law is getting teeth.

Bottom banner:

✔ PAIA Manual
✔ Information Officer
✔ Governance Processes

Footer:

Read our latest article.
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This would make a strong, clean GR-branded graphic and clearly communicate the key message while driving readers to the full article.

For years, many businesses treated PAIA as a once-off admin task.  Prepare a manual. Put it in a folder. Maybe upload it to the website. Forget about it. That approach is becoming risky. The Information Regulator is placing renewed focus on PAIA compliance, and the message is clear: businesses mus...