A comparative study of tax relief measures for small medium and micro enterprises in South Africa and Australia

Abstract

It has been acknowledged internationally and locally that small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) play a vital role in the economic growth of a country. SMMEs enhance a country’s economy by reducing unemployment and thus poverty through job creation. Unemployment in South Africa was 25,3% in the second quarter of 2010. It is thus important for the South African Government to support SMMEs in order to reduce the country’s unemployment rate. SMMEs should therefore have efficient tax systems with effective tax relief measures to facilitate their establishment as well as their future development. South Africa’s tax legislation currently does contain tax relief measures for SMMEs. However, improvement is still needed due to the country’s high unemployment rate. Much can be learnt from Australia as new legislation has recently been introduced in Australia which standardises the criteria for an entity to qualify as an SMME for tax purposes. As the focus of this research was on SMMEs, the study commenced with an analysis of the definition of an SMME. Thereafter, the tax relief measures currently available in South Africa and in Australia were identified. The reasons for the implementation of these relief measures together with previous research performed were included in the discussion. Finally, the South African and Australian tax relief measures were critically compared. As a result, this study will assist the South African Government to enhance the formation and development of SMMEs through identifying tax relief measures available in Australia, which have not yet been incorporated into South African tax legislation. It was not possible from the information obtained in this study to determine whether the tax relief measures currently available in Australia are suitable to be implemented in South Africa. Further research should be conducted to determine whether South African SMMEs will benefit from the tax relief measures available in Australia and whether it is appropriate to include those relief measures in South African tax legislation. AFRIKAANS : Daar word internasionaal en plaaslik erken dat klein, medium en mikro-ondernemings (KMMO’s) ʼn belangrike rol in ʼn land se ekonomiese groei speel. Deur werkskepping verminder KMMO’s die land se werkloosheid en dus armoede en sodoende word die land se ekonomie bevorder. Die werkloosheidsyfer in Suid-Afrika vir die tweede kwartaal van 2010 was 25,3%. Dit is dus belangrik vir die regering om KMMO’s te ondersteun om sodoende die land se werkloosheidsyfer te verlaag. KMMO’s behoort dus doeltreffende belastingstelsels te hê, met geskikte belastingverligtingsmaatreëls, om die stigting sowel as toekomstige ontwikkeling van hierdie entiteite te vergemaklik. Suid-Afrika se belastingwetgewing bevat tans belastingverligtingsmaatreëls vir KMMO’s. Weens die hoë werkloosheidsyfer, kan dit egter nog verbeter. Suid-Afrika kan baie van Australië leer, aangesien Australië onlangs nuwe wetgewing ingestel het wat die kriteria vir ʼn entiteit om as ʼn KMMO vir belastingdoeleindes te kwalifiseer, standaardiseer. Aangesien hierdie ondersoek gerig is op KMMO’s, begin die studie met ʼn ontleding van die definisie van ʼn KMMO. Daarna is die belastingverligtingsmaatreëls wat tans in Suid-Afrika en Australië beskikbaar is, geïdentifiseer. Die redes vir die implementering van hierdie belastingverligtingsmaatreëls sowel as vorige navorsing wat gedoen is, is ingesluit in die bespreking. Ten laaste is die Suid-Afrikaanse en die Australiese belastingverligtingsmaatreëls krities vergelyk. Die studie behoort die Suid-Afrikaanse regering te help om die stigting en toekomstige ontwikkeling van hierdie entiteite te vergemaklik deur Australiese belastingverligtingsmaatreëls, wat nog nie in die Suid-Afrikaanse belastingwetgewing vervat is nie, te identifiseer. Dit is nie moontlik om uit die inligting wat in hierdie studie verkry is, te bepaal of die belastingverligtingsmaatreëls wat tans in Australië beskikbaar is, geskik is om in Suid-Afrika toegepas te word nie. Verder navorsing sal kan bepaal of Suid-Afrikaanse KMMO’s voordeel sal trek uit die belastingverligting wat in Australië beskikbaar is en of dit geskik is om hierdie belastingverligting in Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing in te sluit.