A research submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Commerce (Taxation), Johannesburg, 2017 / South Africa is young democratic country with just 22 years in democracy underpinned by the South African Constitution Act of 1996. Achievements and strides have been made to address the ills of the past but like any other emerging economy, major challenges remain. These challenges impact on business and the society at large. These challenges include lack of education, high rate of unemployment, high levels of inequality, lack of infrastructure and investment stimulate growth. This has been compounded by the slowdown in the world economy. The culmination of these issues has resulted in slow or very little economic growth. The South African Government remains instrumental in the development of the economy. Much is still required to ensure that there is prosperity for all that live in the country. The Government has come-up with the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 as the economic growth strategy to address these major challenges. There are various programmes and plans set up by the Government to address these challenges. This research discusses some of the initiatives to address these challenges. As mentioned above, one of the critical issues facing South Africa is the lack of infrastructure and investment to boost the South African economy. The focus of this report is on tax incentives to support Small Medium Enterprises and industry at large with a view that development of Small Medium Enterprises will yield economic growth. Reputable institutions such as OECD share a view that development and growth of SMEs is quite critical to the economic growth, SMEs are equally important for South African economic growth. ‘SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) account for 60 to 70 per cent of jobs in most OECD countries, with a particularly large share in Italy and Japan, and a relatively smaller share in the United States. Throughout they also account for a disproportionately large share of new jobs, especially in those countries which have displayed a strong employment record, including the United States and the Netherlands.’ OECD publication, SMALL BUSINESSES, JOB CREATION AND GROWTH: FACTS, OBSTACLES AND BEST PRACTICE. One can argue that with 60 to 70 per cent of jobs for most OECD countries, Small Medium Enterprises are actually the economic drivers for these countries. / XL2018

M.Comm. / Belastinginsentiewe is daarop gemik om handel met ander lande te bevorder deur buitelandse beleggers aan te moedig om hul geld in die betrokke land te investeer. Dit dien terselfdertyd as aansporing om in spesifieke besighede te bele of spesifieke bedrywe te beoefen. Die studie het ten doel om belastinginsentiewe in Suid-Afrika te ontleed en dit te vergelyk met die van ander lande. Waar moontlik word aanbevelings gemaak oor hoe en waar daar in Suid-Afrika beter van belastinginsentiewe gebruik gemaak kan word. Daar word spesifieke aandag aan die toepassing van die belastinginsentiewe in die verskillende lande gegee.

Die bestaande belastingaansporingsmaatreels in Suid-Afrika is nagevors. Belastingaansporingsmaatreels wat vroeer in gebruik was, is ook ondersoek. Aandag is gegee aan die kontantaansporingsmaatreels wat vir vervaardigingsondernemings beskikbaar is in Suid-Afrika. Programme wat deur onder andere die Nywerheid-Ontwikkelingskorporasie van Suid-Afrika Beperk en die Kleinsake-Ontwikkelingskorporasie aangebied word is ondersoek. Ondersoek is ingestel na die bevindings van die Margo kommissie Verslag wat in 1986 uitgereik is. Die verslag van die Katz-kommissie wat in 1994 uitgereik is, is ook nagevors. Aandag is gegee aan die 1994, 1995 en 1996 begrotings asook sommige van die aspekte van die Algemene Ooreenkoms op Tariewe en Handel. Die belastingkoerse en aansporingsmaatreelsprogramme wat deur die Verenigde State van Amerika, Verenigde Koninkryk en Kanada beskikbaar gestel word aan ondernemings is ondersoek. Moontlike oplossings vir die probleme wat tans ondervind word in SuidAfrika se aansporingsmaatreelstelsel is geformuleer. / The existing tax incentives in South Africa were researched. Tax incentives that were previously in use, were also investigated. Attention was given to the cash incentives available to manufacturing enterprises in South Africa. Amongst others the programmes offered by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited and the Small Business Development Corporation were investigated. The findings of the Margo Commission Report issued in 1986 were investigated. The Katz Report issued in 1994 was also researched. Attention was given to the 1994, 1995 and 1996 budgets as well as some of the aspects of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The taxation rates and incentive programmes available to enterprises in the United States of America, United Kingdom and Canada were investi gated. Possible solutions for the problems currently experienced in South Africa with regard to incentives have been formulated. / School of Computing / M.Sc (Computer Science)

Die bestaande belastingaansporingsmaatreels in Suid-Afrika is nagevors. Belastingaansporingsmaatreels wat vroeer in gebruik was, is ook ondersoek. Aandag is gegee aan die kontantaansporingsmaatreels wat vir vervaardigingsondernemings beskikbaar is in Suid-Afrika. Programme wat deur onder andere die Nywerheid-Ontwikkelingskorporasie van Suid-Afrika Beperk en die Kleinsake-Ontwikkelingskorporasie aangebied word is ondersoek. Ondersoek is ingestel na die bevindings van die Margo kommissie Verslag wat in 1986 uitgereik is. Die verslag van die Katz-kommissie wat in 1994 uitgereik is, is ook nagevors. Aandag is gegee aan die 1994, 1995 en 1996 begrotings asook sommige van die aspekte van die Algemene Ooreenkoms op Tariewe en Handel. Die belastingkoerse en aansporingsmaatreelsprogramme wat deur die Verenigde State van Amerika, Verenigde Koninkryk en Kanada beskikbaar gestel word aan ondernemings is ondersoek. Moontlike oplossings vir die probleme wat tans ondervind word in SuidAfrika se aansporingsmaatreelstelsel is geformuleer. / The existing tax incentives in South Africa were researched. Tax incentives that were previously in use, were also investigated. Attention was given to the cash incentives available to manufacturing enterprises in South Africa. Amongst others the programmes offered by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited and the Small Business Development Corporation were investigated. The findings of the Margo Commission Report issued in 1986 were investigated. The Katz Report issued in 1994 was also researched. Attention was given to the 1994, 1995 and 1996 budgets as well as some of the aspects of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The taxation rates and incentive programmes available to enterprises in the United States of America, United Kingdom and Canada were investi gated. Possible solutions for the problems currently experienced in South Africa with regard to incentives have been formulated. / School of Computing / M.Sc (Computer Science)

This study discusses South Africa’s tax incentives for small businesses and identifies shortcomings and areas of concern within the tax incentive regimes. A comparison of small business tax incentives provided by Australia, India, and the United Kingdom is made with South Africa’s small business tax incentives to identify similarities and differences, and new lessons are learned from the approaches of other countries. As a result of the comparison with the tax dispensations available to small businesses in other countries, the study recommends additional tax incentives that could be implemented by South Africa. Only those tax incentives that are available in other countries but not in South Africa that were deemed worthwhile were recommended to be introduced in the Republic. Recommendations were also made based on the gaps identified in South Africa’s small business tax incentives. / Taxation / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

This study discusses South Africa’s tax incentives for small businesses and identifies shortcomings and areas of concern within the tax incentive regimes. A comparison of small business tax incentives provided by Australia, India, and the United Kingdom is made with South Africa’s small business tax incentives to identify similarities and differences, and new lessons are learned from the approaches of other countries. As a result of the comparison with the tax dispensations available to small businesses in other countries, the study recommends additional tax incentives that could be implemented by South Africa. Only those tax incentives that are available in other countries but not in South Africa that were deemed worthwhile were recommended to be introduced in the Republic. Recommendations were also made based on the gaps identified in South Africa’s small business tax incentives. / College of Accounting Sciences / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)