SARS could question bank transfers between your own accounts, expert warns

• South Africans have been warned that routine bank transfers between their own accounts could attract scrutiny from SARS
• A tax expert explained that unexplained deposits, including loans and spousal payments, could lead to an estimated tax assessment
• South Africans reacted with frustration, pointing out that larger financial scandals appear to go unquestioned

A South African tax expert is urging people to hold onto proof of every bank deposit, no matter how ordinary it may seem, after warning that even transfers between a person's own accounts could raise red flags with the South African Revenue Service.

According to IOL News, Lambert Roberts, Expatriate Tax Team Manager at Tax Consulting SA, said that when SARS reviews a taxpayer's bank statements and finds credits that cannot be explained, it may issue an estimated tax assessment. That means the money in question could be treated as taxable income if the taxpayer cannot provide documents showing otherwise.

What counts as a suspicious deposit

The types of deposits that could attract attention are more common than most people realise. Roberts listed transfers between personal accounts, money received from a spouse, loans from friends or family, and proceeds from selling personal belongings as examples that could all be misread by SARS.

"A bank credit is not automatically taxable income. But if you cannot document its source and nature when SARS asks, you may have to spend time and money proving that it was not income," Roberts said.

He added that account-to-account transfers are especially easy to misinterpret, because SARS may see a deposit in one account without an obvious link to the withdrawal from another.

How to protect yourself

Roberts advised taxpayers to keep bank statements for both accounts involved in any transfer and to match transactions by date, amount and payment reference. For loans or payments from a spouse, supporting documents that explain the origin of the funds should be kept on hand.

Under section 46 of the Tax Administration Act, SARS has the legal authority to request documents and information to verify a tax return. Roberts warned that taxpayers who ignore more than one such request could be hit with an estimated assessment under section 95(1)(c) of the Act, with limited room to appeal without proper records.

Read the Facebook post here.

Mzansi reacts with frustration

South Africans commenting on the IOL News Facebook page were largely unimpressed, with many pointing out what they felt was a double standard in how SARS applies its oversight:

Lethukuthula Mpanza asked:

"What about the dollars found at Phala Phala?"

Mosa Pendergrass wrote:

"They couldn't question 360 million, but they will monitor our R370."

Marius Joubert commented:

"SARS don't monitor the ministers, but the average citizens... they keep a watching eye."

Tondi Shazz shared a personal concern:

"I am already in arrears 3k, that time I'm not working. What must I do?"

The bottom line for everyday South Africans is straightforward: keep your records, label your transfers clearly, and respond promptly if SARS ever comes knocking.

More Briefly News stories on SARS

• CPT entrepreneur Chris de Water filmed a SARS vehicle at a Western Cape petrol station, prompting South Africans to joke that the tax authority was watching him.
• South Africans roasted government systems in a viral TikTok, with SARS the favourite as commenters joked about institutions that work when money is owed.
• SARS has set 23 October 2026 as the deadline for non-provisional taxpayers who were not auto-assessed, with new rules and easier filing tools this season.

Source: Briefly News

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