Home Affairs and SARS Sign New Digital Agreement

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) signed two major agreements with key government departments to boost digitisation and fraud detection across the country.

The first agreement, signed with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), revives a long-standing partnership that began in 2010. It will strengthen collaboration around secure digital platforms and data sharing — critical steps in fighting identity fraud and improving service delivery.

The second agreement brings together SARS, DHA, the Border Management Authority (BMA), and Government Printing Works (GPW). This multi-party partnership supports the government's recently approved Digital Transformation Roadmap and aims to create a single digital identity platform for South Africans.

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter highlighted how this move will help prevent fraud, like double-dipping on government benefits, and support a more efficient, tech-enabled public service.

💡 What SARS is hoping to get out of these agerements:

• Stronger digital identity systems may help reduce fraud and improve taxpayer verification.

• Expect faster, more secure access to government services for individuals and businesses.

• These developments reflect a broader shift toward a digital-first public sector — something all professionals should prepare for.

❓ With SARS’s less then ideal track record of data sharing with Home Affairs in the past we can only hope these agreements will bring the positive outcomes they promise.

Stay tuned as SARS rolls out further updates in line with this digital transformation plan.