Tax is an increasingly important issue in today’s society. There is no gain saying that taxes reduce the disposable income of young people, as they do for most age groups.
Consequently, there is a need for young people in all spheres of society have to take a keen interest on the country’s tax system and how it dovetails to how the economy works.
Taxation and the tax system are certainly an integral part of our society and these cannot be brushed away.
Government imposes charges on citizens and businesses as a means of raising revenue, which is then used to meet the nation’s budgetary demands. This includes financing government and public projects as well as making the business environment in the country conducive for economic growth.
In order to assist young people and the entire nation the Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) has embarked on nationwide roadshow to connect with young people and the nation in a drive to promote fairness in the country’s tax system. The initiative is to communicate directly with members of the public, businesses and key stakeholders in a bid to increase awareness of its services.
The roadshows will take place across the country in March 2019.
There will be interactive exhibitions at various events, stakeholder engagements and outreach campaigns. The headline event will be held at the Gateway Mall in Durban, KwaZulu Natal.
The events organised under the theme: “We Speak Fairness” are part of a concerted effort to promote compliance, address any misconceptions about OTO and promote taxpayers’ rights.
Senior Manager: Communications and Outreach Pearl Seopela says goal is to promote equity in the country’s tax system and help taxpayers avoid administrative penalties.
“The events are designed to create an interactive experience for taxpayers and businesses and for OTO to receive direct feedback from stakeholders and members of the public on its services. The roadshow will see a team of OTO tax experts and analysts, go on a tour covering the entire country, participating in interactive sessions to communicate and increase public awareness about the services and products,” says Seopela.
“Besides spreading awareness of about the services and products of OTO, the roadshow seeks to give taxpayers and members of the public the opportunity to share their views, identify areas that need intervention in order to improve efficiencies and address queries about the country’s tax system.”
Seopela called on taxpayers to attend the events in order to have all their queries and concerns answered.
There will also be announcements in the print, online and social media platforms throughout the country in order to expand the scope of beneficiaries.
Seopela emphasised the OTO’s commitment to coordinating with local and national authorities to ensure transparency and a smooth implementation of the country’s tax system that seeks to ensure sustainable growth and inclusive society.
