The budget speech & your finances: What you need to know

The national budget isn’t just about numbers - it shapes the legal, tax, and regulatory realities that affect every South African resident. Whether you're an individual taxpayer, trustee, business owner, or corporate executive, understanding the implications of the 2025 Budget Speech is crucial for informed decision-making.

That’s why our expert panel, featuring Francois FoucheTanya Strauss, and Andrè van Niekerk, alongside Brendon Jones, CEO of the Adansonia Group, unpacked key takeaways from the 2025 national budget. Facilitated by Dr Damian Viviers from PH Attorneys, this discussion covered everything from potential tax changes to compliance shifts that could impact your personal and business finances and planning. 

Some of the takeaways you don’t want to miss: 

Taxation: In terms of taxation, we did not see the usual bracket relief that we have come to expect over time.  

Discussions around wealth tax are gaining momentum. While South Africa already has a form of wealth tax, it appears that an additional type may be on the cards in future. This is unlikely to be the last we hear on the matter. As advisors and planners, we will need to remain aware of this possibility. 

Economic risks: Current global uncertainties hold economic risk. Advisors must understand the fluidity of the current landscape and ensure client strategies and planning are flexible and able to adjust rapidly to changing circumstances.  

Retirement & Immigration: You might be impacted by the budget if you are a South African wishing to return and retire in South Africa, or a foreigner looking to retire in the country. Currently, lump sums and pension annuities received by South African residents from foreign retirement funds or salaries earned outside South Africa are usually exempt from tax. The budget has flagged this as a potential loophole, and the proposal aims to remove this exemption. 

These insights—and more—were dissected by our panel of experts.  
 
LISTEN to the full discussion below:

March 26, 2025
Fee or tax? The court decides

Fee or tax? The court decides

With effect from 1 July 2025, the City of Cape Town introduced three new charges on residential rate bills. These charges were challenged by the South African Property Owners’ Association (SAPOA) and AfriForum, who argued that they were unlawful and improperly calculated. The dispute culminated in court applications seeking declaratory orders that the charges were invalid because they were inconsistent with the Constitution, national legislation, and the City’s own By-Laws.

Pay first… maybe not

Pay first… maybe not

For decades, the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) has relied on the “pay now, argue later” rule as a cornerstone of tax administration. This principle permits SARS to collect disputed taxes before the underlying dispute has been resolved, often placing significant financial strain on taxpayers. While the rule serves an important fiscal purpose, it also raises critical questions regarding fairness, proportionality, and the limits of administrative discretion.

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