This is Sh24.7 billion more than Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's estimate when presenting the national budget last year.
According to the South African Revenue Service, the R2 trillion represents an increase of 8.4% compared to the previous financial year, surpassing the 5.4% nominal GDP growth.
Outgoing SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter announced preliminary revenue collection figures in Pretoria on Wednesday.
He said this number has been achieved despite a sluggish economy, geopolitical tensions, global supply-chain disruptions and the spread of the illicit economy.
“This achievement reflects the focused and attentive work of SARS in its compliance initiatives, improved administrative efficiency and the modest contribution of the mining sector,” Kieswetter said.
“The revenue collection enabled the Finance Minister to save the country from additional VAT increases as he originally stated,
“Collecting more than R2 trillion is no accident, but the result of more than 14,500 employees who diligently undertake millions of activities to achieve this record collection. Every rand not only helps build a capable state that respects the social contract but also enables the state to work for all South Africans and strengthen the fiscal integrity of South Africa.”
Domestic value added tax (VAT) collections reached R604 billion, an increase of 7.6% year-on-year.
Provisional company income tax collections were R355.5 billion, providing an increase of 9.9% year-on-year and R1.3 billion below the revised estimate.
Import VAT increased by R5.6 billion (2.2%), but below estimate, while import duties increased by R5.1 billion (6.6%), which was R1.2 billion (1.5%) above estimate.
Pay What You Earn (Pay As You Earn) collections totaled R767.0 billion, an increase of R59.9 billion (8.5%) from the previous year.
The taxpayer also managed to collect revenue of R11.0 billion from two-pot PAYE collections.
VAT refunds amounting to R371.1 billion were paid, representing a year-on-year increase of R5.6 billion (1.5%). The largest refunds were given to mining, finance and manufacturing sectors.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to name the new SARS commissioner later this month.
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