There were few surprises and little in the form of good news in Budget Speech 2024. Although there were no major tax proposals and no major tax rate hikes announced, individual taxpayers will bear the brunt of a R15 billion Budget shortfall, while multinational corporations will pay a global minimum corporate tax, and plans are afoot to tap into the SARB-administered contingency reserve account. Here is a brief overview of the most pertinent announcements for individuals and businesses that underscore the need for professional tax advice in the year ahead.

In the recent 2023 Budget, it was announced that the urban development zone (UDZ) tax incentive will be extended by a further two years until the end of March 2025. The incentive creates beneficial tax allowances for property investments in certain central business districts of South Africa’s major cities.

New rules have been established around the treatment of corporate assessed losses, and these are already in effect, limiting the amount of previous assessed losses that can be offset against a company’s annual income tax liability in future financial years. The change follows the reduction in the corporate tax rate from 28% to 27%