How long does SARS Complaints process take?

When you complain to the South African Revenue Service (SARS), they will issue an acknowledgment notification to you on the same day. SARS aims to resolve the complaint within 21 business days after it was logged. If you are still not satisfied with the outcome, you may follow the Tax Ombud process. You will receive an SMS or email notification at various stages of the process.

Types of complaints

The following is a list of the complaint categories. Please indicate the appropriate one when submitting your complaint:  

NoCategoryExample
1Legal/PolicyFor example, the contact center is very slow to answer, or there is no parking at branch X.
2For example, the contact centre is very slow to answer, or there is no parking at branch X.For example, debit cards are not accepted for payments.
3Channel experience/environment/technical issuesFor example, agent X was rude, or the agent did not know how to assist me.
4Quality and speed of service*For example, incorrect resolution of request, or it took 6 months to process my banking detail change.
5Unresolved service/operational matter*Employee behavior/Competence
6Missing or lost documentation*For example, I have submitted my return, but SARS cannot find it.

  * You need a case number first for the last three categories. In other words, if your complaint relates to ‘Quality and speed of service’, ‘Unresolved service/operational matter’ or ‘Missing or lost documentation’, the complaint will only be accepted if there is already a case logged and the case number is inserted on the form. It can either be the original case number or a follow-up case number.

Before you lodge a complaint

Before you complain, you are requested to

  • Engage the supervisor or manager at the point of contact to resolve your service issue with SARS.
  • Call the SARS Contact Centre (0800 00 7277) if the matter has still not been resolved.​
  • Make sure you get a case number as you will need this case number if you want to go further and lodge a complaint.

Once you have exhausted all these processes you can now lodge a complaint.

What to expect after you complained

You will receive an SMS or email notification at various stages of the process:

  • When you’ve logged your complaint, you will receive an acknowledgment notification the same day.
  • The resolution date will be a maximum of 21 business days after the complaint was logged.
  • If you are still not satisfied with the outcome, you may follow the Tax Ombud process.

Online Courses and Learning tips : Top 10 Free Online Learning Platforms

  1. Free Online Education Degrees : Coursera:

    Coursera partners with universities and organizations worldwide to offer a wide range of courses. While many courses are free, a fee is often required for certification.

  2. Free Online Education Degrees: edX:

    Founded by MIT and Harvard, edX offers high-quality courses from top universities and institutions around the world. Certificates are available for a fee.

  3. Free Online Education Degrees : Khan Academy:

    Khan Academy provides free educational content in various subjects, especially mathematics and science, using instructional videos and practice exercises.

  4. Free Online Education Degrees : Udacity:

    Udacity focuses on tech-related courses and nanodegree programs, offering free content as well as more in-depth paid programs.

  5. Free Online Education Degrees : MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW):

    MIT OCW provides a vast array of MIT's course content for free, covering a wide range of disciplines.

  6. Free Online Education Degrees : Harvard Extension School:

    Harvard Extension School offers a selection of free online courses. While some courses are free, others may require payment for a certificate.

  7. Free Online Education Degrees: Stanford Online:

    Stanford Online offers a variety of free courses in different disciplines, including computer science, engineering, and business.

  8. Best Free Online Courses : Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative (OLI):

    OLI offers free online courses and resources designed to improve learning outcomes through research-based methodologies.

  9. Best Free Online Courses : FutureLearn:

    FutureLearn partners with universities and institutions to offer a diverse range of free online courses. Certificates are available for a fee.

  10. Best Free Online Courses: Alison:

    Alison offers a wide range of free online courses, including diploma and certificate programs, covering various subjects.

  11. Best Free Online Courses: Open Yale Courses:

    Yale University provides free access to a selection of introductory courses through Open Yale Courses.

  12. Best Free Online Courses : UC Berkeley Online:

    UC Berkeley offers free online courses on a variety of subjects, ranging from computer science to humanities.

  13. Best Free Online Courses : Google Digital Garage:

    Google Digital Garage provides free courses on digital skills, including online marketing, data analysis, and more.

  14. Best Free Online Courses : Codecademy:

    Codecademy offers free coding courses, interactive exercises, and coding projects to help individuals learn programming languages.

  15. Best Free Online Courses : LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com):

    LinkedIn Learning provides a variety of video courses on professional development, technology, and creative skills. It offers a free trial period.