South African Revenue Service

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The South African Revenue Service (also known as SARS) is the section of the South African government responsible for collecting taxes, tariffs, duties and all other forms of revenue levied by the South African government.

SARS was formed by the merger of the S.A.Inland Revenue and Customs & Excise (D&A). It is a merger in name only as Revenue and VAT staff are better paid and enjoy better facilities than their colleagues in Customs.

SARS has been the recipient of much overseas aid inclusing the German Tax Authorities who established the VAT system and members of Great Britains Customs & Excise who established the Customs procedures both at South Africas borders and inland. British ex-pats still serve in SARS in roles principally relating to increasing the capabilities of local management.

SA Customs both at the borders and inland offices are uniformed. Unfortunately, this uniform is virtually identical to that of the SA Police (SAPS). Consequently, a number of the (unarmed) customs staff have found themselves shot at with fire arms by those thinking they were (armed) members of SAPS.