17 Jan 2022

Botswana Unified Revenue Services’ (BURS) revenue collection efforts are frustrated by non-compliance such as tax evasion and avoidance.

BURS commissioner general Ms Jeannette Makgolo explained during an interactive session with the media yesterday that tax collection was crucial to the development of the country.

More revenue collected would take the country to new heights, she said.

Mr Makgolo said improved domestic revenue mobilisation would ensure that the country continued to develop and sustain its citizens.

Ms Makgolo said domestic collection was key as Botswana was no longer attractive to foreign aid  due to its improved economic status.

Consequently, she said, BURS had a heightened sense of urgency and conviction to improve revenue collection, especially the domestic type.

The BURS chief, who is five months into the job, explained that revenue collection through ICT remained key in improving domestic collection.

“We took the decision to institute an independent audit of our ICT systems, that will assist how we move forward in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the systems,” she said.

Ms Makgolo pointed out that proper systems would enable the organisation to address issues of non-compliance such as tax evasion and avoidance.

Further, she said BURS was eager to improve on service delivery which entailed timely assistance and resolution of customer’s complaints as well as upholding Botho.

She said the organisation had come up with a platform where the commissioner general interacted with customers to get feedback on issues that hindered service delivery.

About the ongoing tax amnesty which had been extended to June 30, Ms Makgolo said it took into consideration hindrances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Under the dispensation, taxpayers in arrears are granted a relief when they settled the principal amount of debt owed and the commission in turn would write off the interest and penalties,” she said.

Types of tax covered by the amnesty include corporate and personal income, pay as you earn (PAYE), withholding taxes and VAT.

On another matter, Ms Makgolo assured the media that BURS decisions were apolitical. Ends