Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) has this Monday launched the 2021/2022 Tax year Filing Season as it has been tasked by the Government to assess and collect revenue on its behalf.

Speaking at the official launch in Francistown, BURS Tax Commisioner, Jeanette Makgolo said the Filing Season is an important event in their calendar as BURS, because this is the time when individual taxpayers submit their tax returns for the preceding tax year which indicate how they have been taxed.

“Through this exercise, both the taxpayer and the revenue service can ascertain the true amount of tax remitted to the revenue service by the taxpayer, and thus contributing their fair share to the government coffers,“ said Makgolo.

According to Makgolo, the requirement for individual filers is that individual with gross income of less than P480 000 per annum are not required to file a tax return provided their total income arises solely from employment, is from a single employer, and has been subjected to correct Pay As You Earn (PAYE).

She said any employee who does not meet the conditions outlined above is required to file a Tax Return.

Makgolo noted that It is important to note that individuals with multiple sources of income, which includes employment income, are required to file returns even if their total gross income is less than P480 000 per annum.

Furthermore, with the tax year having come to an end on 30 June 2022, it also serves as reminder to employers to submit tax returns of the amounts deducted from their employees within 31 days of the end of the tax year, i.e. by 31st July 2022 for this filing season.

She shared that this will assist with improving efficiency in the filing of the 2022 Individual Income Tax Returns as the upload will enable pre-population of amounts deducted from employees directly into their tax accounts. Makgolo appreciated all those who took advantage of the Tax Amnesty scheme that ended on 30th June 2022 and they realized a total of 17 883 taxpayers (78%) who came forward and from this a total of P 820 million (32%) was collected.

“P853 million in penalties and interests have been waived thus far comprising of P520 million Income Tax and P333 million of Value Added Tax. This depicts 19% decrease of the outstanding penalties and interest prior to commence of the scheme,” said Makgolo

Meanwhile, Francistown City Council Mayor, Godisang Radisigo said Tax collection is the backbone of any economy because it is where the Government of the day finance its services and development. He said Francistown has developments like the state-of-the-art road infrastructure, Kenneth Nkhwa interchange and the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, highlighting that 70% of the country’s budget is financed through revenue collected by BURS in a form of various taxes.