The South African Institute of Tax Professionals (SAIT) is a recognised professional body focusing solely on taxation. It is a registered professional body under the National Qualifications Framework Act, 2008. The Institute is a professional association of tax professionals regulating tax practitioners in South Africa. SAIT promotes and focuses on the public interest, professional standards, ethics and integrity, albeit promoting the tax industry and its members.
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Formation and activities
SAIT is a not for profit professional body incorporated in 2007 by a group of tax professionals and educators. The SAIT is governed by a Constitution, with a Board elected by members.
When SAIT was formed in 2007 by its main founder Stiaan Klue, the Institute announced that one member of the Board may be nominated by the South African Revenue Service
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is the revenue service of the South African government. It administers the country's tax system and customs service, and enforces compliance with related legislation. It is governed by the SARS Act 34 of ...
(SARS). SARS said they agreed in principle with the general objectives of SAIT.
In 2014 SAICA joined SAIT and other SARS recognised controlling bodies to host the Tax Indaba - SAIT is the founder of the Tax Indaba in South Africa.
Other organisations representing tax professionals in the country are the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), South Africa’s pre-eminent accountancy body, is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading accounting institutes. The institute provides a wide range of support services to m ...
(SAICA) and the South African Institute of Professional Accountants
The South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) is a professional association of accountants based in South Africa. , the institute claims to have more than 10,000 members.
SAIPA represents qualified Professional Accountants (SA) ...
(SAIPA).
In March 2011 the CEO of the Institute, Stiaan Klue, joined with Nicolaas van Wyk of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in calling for simplification of South African tax laws, pointing out that many businesses remained in the informal sector
An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy) is the part of any economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.
Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing countrie ...
due to the cost and difficulty of registration.
SAIT publishes TaxTalk every two months to 10,200 recipients. The magazine deals with tax issues for the South African market.
In 2014, in comparison to the global average top rate of 32%, South Africa’s top personal income tax rate of 40% was high, and in comparison to the global average corporate tax rate of 24%, South Africa's was 28%. According to SAIT, that suggested that South Africa’s tax burden is high compared to other jurisdictions. Because it was important for South Africa to be competitive, in order to encourage economic growth, SAIT recommended to Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
that they reduce the corporate tax rate to bolster foreign direct investment, infrastructure development and growth.
Membership
SAIT members in good standing have reciprocal benefits of several other international tax institutes, including the Canadian Tax Foundation, Chartered Institute of Taxation
The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) is a registered charity (number 1037771) and the leading professional body in the United Kingdom concerned solely with taxation. The CIOT deals with all aspects of direct and indirect taxation.
Activit ...
(UK), Taxation Institute of Australia, Irish Tax Institute, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria
The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) is a professional organization in Nigeria whose members are certified as qualified tax practitioners or administrators.
Organization
The CITN was formed in February 1982 and chartered by the ...
, Chamber of Tax Advisers of the Czech Republic
The Chamber of Tax Advisers of the Czech Republic is an institution guaranteeing high professional level of tax advisory services in the Czech Republic. The Chamber watches over proper performance of tax advisory services, regulates activities of ...
and the Dutch Association of Tax Advisors (NOB).
SAIT is a member of the International Tax Directors Forum (ITDF).[
SAIT has been collaborating and exchanging information with African Tax professional bodies]Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria
The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) is a professional organization in Nigeria whose members are certified as qualified tax practitioners or administrators.
Organization
The CITN was formed in February 1982 and chartered by the ...
since 2007.
During 2010 the SAIT Chief Executive, Stiaan Klue, initiated the establishment of a Pan-African body for tax associations. In June 2011 SAIT participated in a meeting in Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
, Nigeria in which it was agreed to establish the Association of African Tax Institutes The Association of African Tax Institutes (AATI) is an industry association whose aim is, among other things, to provide a platform of collaboration between tax professionals in Africa and to help bridge the divide between tax professionals in the ...
(AATI). The SAIT CE is a vice president of AATI.
References
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Non-profit organisations based in South Africa
2007 establishments in South Africa
Organizations established in 2007
Tax practitioner associations
Taxation in South Africa