The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has already paid out billions in tax refunds since the start of the 2026 filing season
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has already paid out billions in tax refunds since the start of the 2026 filing season, but taxpayers waiting for their money can check their refund status through the revenue service’s digital channels.
SARS confirmed last week that around 1.9 million taxpayers had been auto-assessed, with about R8 billion in refunds paid out within 72 hours of the filing season opening.
SARS expects to auto-assess around six million taxpayers during the filing season, with the process designed to make filing easier while allowing taxpayers to review their information and confirm that their returns are accurate.
Auto-assessments are pre-populated tax returns created by SARS using information received from third parties, including employers, banks, medical schemes and retirement fund administrators.
