A comparative study of anti-avoidance legislation in the United Kingdom and South Africa

Abstract

Tax avoidance has been described as an eternal problem. Efforts to curb tax avoidance by the introduction of various forms of anti-avoidance legislation have contributed to the complexity of tax legislation. The complexity of tax legislation may be regarded as the breeding ground for tax avoidance opportunities, as the use of detailed anti-avoidance legislation aimed at curbing loophole exploitation inadvertently creates the opportunity for further tax avoidance opportunities. South Africa’s recently amended general anti avoidance rule (GAAR) has come under criticism for being too complex. Likewise the UK’s tax law has been criticised for being overly complex and hindering the competitiveness of the UK economy. The UK tax authority has identified targeted anti-avoidance rules (TAARs) and principles-based legislation (PBL) as alternative anti-avoidance techniques as part of its tax simplification initiative. How does South Africa’s anti-avoidance legislation compare to these simplified anti-avoidance legislative techniques? Are the anti-avoidance techniques employed in SA, such as GAAR, in line with international trends on anti-avoidance legislation? A comparative study of the South African anti-avoidance legislation with the UK is thus necessary to determine how South Africa’s anti-avoidance legislation compares globally to anti-avoidance legislation aimed at simplifying tax legislation. AFRIKAANS : Belastingvermyding word beskryf as ‘n globale probleem. Pogings om belastingvermyding te bekamp deur die gebruik van gedetailleerde anti-belastingmaatreëls lei dikwels tot die kompleksiteit van die belastingwetgewing. Die kompleksiteit van die belastingwetgewing mag wel geag word as die broeiplek vir belastingvermyding. Suid-Afrika het onlangs die algemene anti-vermydingsreël (AAVR) gewysig en is hiervoor gekritiseer omdat dit gesien word as meer ingewikkeld as die vorige AARV. Die kompleksiteit van die Verenigde Koninkryk (VK) se belastingwetgewing is ook baie gekritiseer. Die kompleksiteit van die belastingwetgewing in die VK word geag om die mededingendheid van VK se ekonomie te verhinder. Om dit aan te spreek, het VK se belasting owerhede doelgerigte anti-vermyding reëls (DAVR) en beginselgebaseerde wetgweging (BGW) geidentifiseer as alternatiewe anti-vermydingstegnieke wat deel vorm van die inisiatief om die belastingstelsel te vereenvoudig. Hoe vergelyk Suid-Afrika se anti-vermydingstegnieke met die tegnieke onder bespreking in die VK? Is Suid-Afrika se AARV inlyn met internasionale anti-vermydingstendense? ’n Vergelykende studie met die VK is dus noodsaaklik om te bepaal of Suid-Afrika se anti-vermydingstegnieke in lyn is met internasionale tendense.