International petrol price comparision: Is the grass greener?

Posted on: May 3, 2012 by admin

With fuel prices rising, a lot of consumers are understandably upset. But are we as bad off as we think? Studying some international fuel prices (converted to rand for easy reference) may put things into perspective.

The Road Accident Fund: Discerning Fact From Fiction

Posted on: April 15, 2012 by admin

The Constitutional Court has officially ruled on recent amendments to the constitution concerning the compensation and liability on the part of the Road Accident Fund in 2010, and as such, the new guidelines have been implemented. The following report is an explanation of the changes made and how they are going to impact claims, liability and procedures for certain parties.

 

The following is an abstract from a report written up and published by Deneys Reitz and can be found on the Moneyweb.co.za website:

 

The Abolition of Common Law Claims 

 

Prior to the introduction of the Amendment Act, a victim of a road accident was entitled to claim from the Fund. In the event that no claim lay against the fund, or its liability was limited, the victim retained a residual common law claim against the wrongdoer. Section 21 of the Amendment Act...

SARS: What can I claim for?

Posted on: April 4, 2012 by admin

There are many theories and myths about exactly what kinds of travel you can claim for when filing your tax return with SARS. Many of them may have been correct at one time, but due to the changing laws and amendments, have fallen away. The following is some useful advice from Johan Swart, tax manager at one of the largest firms in South Africa, Legal & Tax, first posted on businesslive.co.za (a Times South Africa affiliate):   South Africa's tax laws make provision for you to claim a deduction for the use of your private vehicle to fulfill work tasks, but doing so is no longer as straightforward as it was.   To be able to claim travel expenses you must receive a travel allowance or you must earn most of your income in the form of commission.   In the past, you could simply use your odometer readings at the start and close of the...

How many trips can my Little LogBook log?

Posted on: April 3, 2012 by admin

Let Ettiene Brown from Little LogBook answer that for you:

E-Tolls: what are we going to sign up for?

Posted on: March 29, 2012 by admin

The E-Tag debate in South Africa is heating up, specifically within Gauteng where the toll-roads are to be set up, with many road users saying that they will refuse to register for the system as it is unfair for many reasons.   The terms set by SANRAL (The South African National Roads Agency Limited) are vague in most places and highlights some of the biggest issues in others. For instance, one clause in the terms and conditions says that SANRAL will have the right to request personal information from any institution where the user has an account. While SANRAL have stated that this privilege will not be abused, many users believe this to be an invasion of their privacy.   SANRAL’s terms also state that their ‘information is correct unless proven otherwise’. This means that any extra costs added onto your account due to a system error, technical fault or any other error, must...

Iran oil blockage: not good news for fuel prices!

Posted on: March 22, 2012 by admin

Pretoria - South Africa has suspended almost all oil imports from Iran, its biggest crude supplier, in response to US diplomatic pressure, a senior diplomat said on Thursday, adding Pretoria was unhappy about being strong-armed by Washington.   Iran accounts for about 29% of oil imports to South Africa, according to the US energy information administration, making it tough to switch suppliers. South Africa is on a state department list of 12 countries that buy Iranian oil and could have been subject to US sanctions had it not significantly cut purchases.  Ebrahim said he did not agree with the US move to impose sanctions on countries that purchase Iranian oil. But Pretoria was forced to abide by it due to the economic hit South Africa would take if it did not comply. "We don’t have any choice in the matter," he said.   Oil refinersThe biggest buyer of Iranian crude in South Africa is Engen, majority owned...

Little LogBook is ON TV!

Posted on: March 8, 2012 by admin

Our famous television ad went live a short while ago on national TV!

If you haven't seen it yet, here it is! Feel free to take a look at some of the other videos we have on our Youtube channel.

How to Register as a Taxpayer with SARS

Posted on: March 4, 2012 by admin

Being a tax payer seems more complicated on paper than it really is. A lot of people end up making excuses when it comes time for filing returns or registering. However, the registration process is really not as difficult as it is made out to be.

 

For individuals who qualify for tax for the first time, you will need to register for a tax number by completing a First Time Registration Form, or IT 77 form. Once you have completed the form, hand it in at your closest SARS branch.

 

Along with the IT 77 form, you will need to include a certified copy of your ID or Passport (Drivers Licenses will not be accepted), your personal banking details by way of either an original letter from your bank, confirming the details, a cancelled cheque, or a certified copy of...

How to E-file: SARS Tax Return

Posted on: February 21, 2012 by admin

Completing and filing your tax return form can be a huge task. In some cases it might mean endless amounts of paperwork and searching for and tracking down lost slips and documents. At other times it may mean giving up your personal relaxation time to meet with tax consultants in order to catch up with previous filings. Either way, the task can become overwhelming.

 

Most of this changed a few years ago when SARS (along with most of the world’s tax collection divisions) introduced the ability to file tax returns electronically. This new system allows users to more effectively manage their returns with much less hassle and paperwork.

 

In order to register for E-Filing with SARS, one needs to visit their official website with your valid tax number, ID Number, Banking Details and any other personal information required (check The...

How to keep a logbook for SARS | Tax Return

Posted on: January 17, 2012 by admin

We all dread that time of the year when the Taxman comes for a visit and we need to scurry around and sort out tax returns.