THOUGHTLEADERS, STORYTELLERS AND GRIOTS: What the Scrapped VAT Increase Means for Consumers in South Africa
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Show Notes
GUEST Marcus Botha - Head of Corporate Tax Consulting at BDO and was previously the South African Leader of Tax Reporting & Strategy (TRS) at PwC and Head of Tax Risk at one of the big four banks. He has extensive experience in tax strategy, tax related internal audit, governance and enterprise risk management.
The scrapping of South Africa’s proposed VAT increase from 15% to 15.5% has been met with relief by consumers and businesses alike. Initially introduced in the 2025 National Budget to help plug a R58 billion deficit, the reversal spares households—especially low- and middle-income families—from further financial strain amid rising living costs. Businesses benefit from avoiding system overhauls and pricing adjustments, although some now face the cost of reverting premature changes. While legal complexities remain around the timing of the reversal, the government’s message is clear: the VAT rate will stay at 15%, at least for now