In South Africa, just as in a number of other countries around the world, the tax burden of individual taxpayers is a highly controversial issue that frequently arises as a topic of discussion. Studies and debates around the tax burden are often contradictory – to a large extent, this can be attributed to the lack of a comprehensive basis from which the tax burden of individual taxpayers in South Africa can be evaluated, especially from individual taxpayers’ point of view. The main objective in this study was to develop a conceptual framework for evaluating the tax burden of individual taxpayers in South Africa. In order to achieve this objective, it was essential to define, on the basis of a literature review, the construct of the imposed tax burden and the construct of the perceived tax burden. These definitions of the imposed and perceived tax burden, formulated on the basis of the literature, then served as a theoretical foundation for the development of the conceptual framework. The theoretical constructs underpinning the imposed tax burden were used to formulate a classification framework that provides criteria for classifying government imposts used by the South African government as sources of revenue to fund the public sector, according to their inherent characteristics, irrespective of the label given to a particular impost by the government. The results of this classification of government imposts in South Africa, combined with the theoretical constructs of the perceived tax burden derived from the literature, were used to formulate a conceptual framework for evaluating the tax burden of individual taxpayers in South Africa. The conceptual framework was then applied in a real-life context, using multiple households as case studies. The purpose of the case study research was to assess the validity of the theoretical constructs underpinning the conceptual framework in a real-life environment. The validity of these theoretical constructs was confirmed by the results of the data analysis in this study. Therefore, this study proposes a conceptual framework for evaluating the tax burden of individual taxpayers in South Africa, both objectively, in terms of the imposed tax burden, and subjectively, in terms of the perceived tax burden. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

Fiscal illusion is understood to be a concept that occurs where taxpayers do not always realize how much they contribute towards government revenue in the form of taxation, or how much they receive in the form of public goods and services (Dell’ Ánno&Mourao, 2011:2). The purpose of this study was to discover the originating causes of fiscal illusion amongst individual taxpayers in South Africa. To achieve this objective, available literature was reviewed, which revealed that complexity of the tax systems is argued to be one of the causes of fiscal illusion. A study conducted in South Africa suggested that taxpayer’s perception toward tax affects their attitude (Oberholzer, 2007:45). The hypothesis derived from the literature was then applied to a real life context by conducting interviews with a sample of individual taxpayers. Based on the analysis of data obtained, the study revealed that fiscal illusion of individual taxpayers in South Africa falls within four conceptual elements namely, hidden taxes, number of taxes, double taxation and, to a limited extent, tax shifting. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Northern Sotho / The tax compliance costs of individual taxpayers in South Africa are unknown, and it is essential to determine, amongst other things, whether these costs pose a risk of causing non-compliance, which could have a negative effect on the collection of tax revenue. Hence, the aim of the study was to assess the tax compliance costs of individual taxpayers in South Africa. The assessment of tax compliance costs entailed calculating these costs in relation to the submission of income tax returns and post-filing activities, ascertaining the determinants of these costs and suggesting ways to reduce them. Using data collected from an online survey conducted among 10 260 taxpayers, it was estimated (applying various methods) that income tax compliance costs of individual taxpayers for the 2018 year of assessment were between 3.61% and 5.31% of the personal income tax revenue. These results compared well with ratios reported in most studies conducted in other countries and showed a reduction from the results obtained from 752 taxpayers for the 2017 year of assessment. Chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID), a decision tree modelling technique, was used to ascertain the determinants of tax compliance costs and to identify specific groups of taxpayers associated with distinct ranges of the determinants that were statistically significant predictors of tax compliance costs. This breakdown enabled a better understanding of the influence that the specific values of the continuous determinants, such as the service quality rating of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), and the categorical determinants, such as education level and employment status, have on tax compliance costs. The CHAID analysis therefore provided an additional level of insight not possible with regression analysis, enhancing the usability of the results. Employment status and income tax bracket had the strongest association with tax compliance costs (on average, self-employed taxpayers and taxpayers in the highest income tax bracket had the highest total tax compliance costs). Various other determinants, for example, type of assistance obtained, gender, education level, complexity of tax legislation, complexity of SARS guides, and SARS’s service quality rating were also identified in the analyses. / Die belastingvoldoeningskoste van individuele belastingpligtiges in Suid-Afrika is onbekend, en dit is noodsaaklik om, onder andere, te bepaal of hierdie koste ʼn risiko van nievoldoening inhou wat ʼn negatiewe uitwerking op die insameling van belastinginkomste kan hê. Die doelwit van die studie was dus om die belastingvoldoeningskoste van individuele belastingpligtiges in Suid-Afrika te assesseer. Die assessering van belastingvoldoeningskoste behels die berekening van hierdie koste ten opsigte van die indiening van inkomstebelastingopgawes en ná-indieningsaktiwiteite, bepaling van die determinante van hierdie koste en voorstelle van hoe om dit te verminder. Aan die hand van data wat ingesamel is deur ʼn aanlyn opname onder 10 260 belastingpligtiges, is (deur middel van verskeie metodes) geraam dat inkomstebelasting-voldoeningskoste van individuele belastingpligtiges vir die 2018-assesseringsjaar tussen 3.61% en 5.31% van die persoonlike-inkomstebelastinginkomste was. Hierdie resultate het goed vergelyk met verhoudings soos berig in die meeste studies wat in ander lande uitgevoer is en het ʼn afname gewys in die resultate wat by 752 belastingpligtiges vir die 2017-assesseringsjaar bekom is. Chi-kwadraat outomatiese wisselwerkingbespeuring (chi-square automatic interaction detection – CHAID), ʼn besluitnemingskema-modelleringtegniek, is gebruik om die determinante van belastingvoldoeningskoste te bepaal en om spesifieke groepe belastingpligtiges te identifiseer wat statisties-beduidende voorspellers van belastingvoldoeningskoste is. Hierdie uiteensetting het ʼn beter begrip daargestel van die invloed wat die spesifieke waardes op die deurlopende determinante, soos die diensgehaltegradering van die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomstediens (SARS), en die kategoriedeterminante, soos onderwysvlak en indiensnemingstatus, op belastingvoldoeningskoste het. Die CHAID-ontleding het dus ʼn bykomende vlak van insig voorsien wat nie moontlik is met regressieontleding nie en sodoende die bruikbaarheid van die resultate verbeter. Indiensnemingstatus en inkomstebelastingkategorie het die sterkste assosiasie met belastingvoldoeningskoste (belastingpligtiges in eie diens en belastingpligtiges in die hoogste inkomstekategorie het gemiddeld die hoogste totale belastingvoldoeningskoste). Verskeie ander determinante, byvoorbeeld, soort bystand verkry, geslag, onderwysvlak, kompleksiteit van belastingwetgewing, kompleksiteit van SARS-gidse en SARS-diensgehaltegradering is ook in die ontledings geïdentifiseer. Die studie het afgesluit met voorstelle om individuele belastingspligtiges se belastingvoldoeningskoste te verlaag. / Ditshenyegelo tša ditefelo tša go obamela melawana ya metšhelo ka balefamotšhelo ka Afrika Borwa ga di tsebje, gomme go bohlokwa gore re tsebe, gareng ga tše dingwe, ge eba ditshenyegelo tše di tliša kotsi ya go baka gore balefamotšhelo ba se ke ba obamela melawana ya metšhelo, e lego seo se ka bago le seabe sa go se loke go kgoboketšo ya letseno la motšhelo. Ke ka lebaka leo, maikemišetšo a dinyakišišo tše e bile go sekaseka ditshenyegelo tša go obamela melawana ya motšhelo ka balefamotšhelo ka Afrika Borwa. Tshekatsheko ya ditshenyegelo tša go obamela melawana ya motšhelo go ra gore re swanetše go hlakanya ditshenyegelo tše mabapi le go romela dingwalwa tša motšhelo le ditiragalo tša ka morago ga go romela dingwalwa tšeo tša motšhelo, go realo e le go tseba dilo tšeo di bakago ditshenyegelo tše le go šišinya mekgwa ya go di fokotša. Ka go šomiša tshedimošo ye e kgobokeditšwego go dinyakišišo tšeo di dirilwego ka inthanete gareng ga balefamotšhelo ba 10 260, go akantšwe gore (ka go diriša mekgwa ye e fapafapanego) ditshenyegelo tša go obamela melawana ya motšhelo wa letseno ka balefamotšhelo ka ngwaga wa tshekatsheko ya metšhelo wa 2018 di bile magareng ga 3.61% le 5.31% ya tšhelete ya motšhelo wa letseno. Dipoelo tše di bapetšwa gabotse le dikelo tšeo di begilwego ka dinyakišišong tše ntši tšeo di dirilwego ka dinageng tše dingwe gomme di laeditše go fokotšega go tšwa go dipoelo tšeo di hweditšwego go balefamotšhelo ba 752 ka ngwageng wa tshekatsheko ya metšhelo wa 2017. Kutollo ya tirišano ya maitirišo ya Chi-square (CHAID), e lego mokgwa wa go nyakišiša sephetho ka maphakga, e šomišitšwe ka nepo ya go tseba dilo tšeo di bakago ditshenyegelo tša go obamela melawana ya motšhelo le go hlaola dihlopha tše itšego tša balefamotšhelo bao ba amanago le mehuta ye e swanago e nnoši ya dihlaodi tšeo di bilego bohlokwa go ya ka dipalopalo mabapi le ditshenyegelo tša go obamela melawana ya motšhelo. Karoganyo ye e kgontšhitše kwešišo ye kaone ya khuetšo yeo dikokwane tše itšego tša dilo tšeo di tšwelago pele go baka se, tša go swana le kelo ya boleng bja tirelo ye e abjago ke Tirelo ya Motšhelo ya Afrika Borwa (SARS), le dilo tšeo di bakago go se obamele melawana ya motšhelo go ya ka makala, go swana le maemo a thuto le maemo a mošomo, go ditshenyegelo tša go obamela melawana ya motšhelo. Tshekatsheko ya CHAID ka fao e file maemo a tlaleletšo a tsebo yeo e sa kgonagalego ka tshekatsheko ya poelomorago, go maatlafatša go šomišega ga dipoelo. Maemo a mošomo le legoro la motšhelo wa letseno di bile le kamano ye kgolo le ditshenyegelo tša go obamela melawana ya motšhelo (ka kakaretšo, balefamotšhelo bao ba itšhomelago le balefamotšhelo bao ba lego ka go legoro la godimo la motšhelo wa letseno ba na le palomoka ya godimodimo ya motšhelo wo ba lefišwago ona). Dilo tše dingwe tša mehutahuta tšeo di bakago go se obamele melawana ya motšhelo, go fa mohlala, mohuta wa thušo ye e hweditšwego, bong, maemo a thuto, go se kwešišege ga melawana ya motšhelo, go se kwešišege ga ditlhahli tša SARS, le kelo ya boleng bja tirelo ya SARS le tšona di utollotšwe ka tshekatshekong. Dinyakišišo di feditše ka go fa ditšhišinyo mabapi le ka fao go ka fokotšwago ditshenyegelo tša go obamela melawana ya motšhelo ka balefamotšhelo. / D. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)