05 Jul 2022

Only 17 883 taxpayers took advantage of the amnesty which ended June 30 paying only P820 million.

  According to  Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS) commissioner general, Ms Jeanette Makgolo the figure was a mere 32 per cent of what was expected from the tax amnesty.

   Speaking during the official opening of the 2021/22 national tax year in Francistown Monday,  she explained that the amnesty, which saw all interests and penalties written off, was meant to cushion tax payers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calling the launch an important milestone as it marked the beginning of a new filing season scheduled to end September 30, Ms Makgolo advised those earning P480 000 a year to file tax returns and urged employees with other sources of income to declare. A tax return, she explained, was a declaration form where  total income earned from various sources was reported.

It also contained information about taxes to be paid during a given year, said Ms Makgolo.

She advised tax payers to file their returns online. 

Officially opening the event themed: “#tsayakgato-Have you registered for tax”, Francistown mayor, Mr Godisang Radisigo urged everyone eligible to pay tax to do so.

Everyone was a beneficiary of all tax payments made in Botswana therefore all must partake looking at what the country had done and still had to do, he said.

Mayor Radisigo said taxes were the backbone of the economy as government financed services and development projects through taxes.

Giving an example, he said because of tax revenue, every citizen continued to have access to subsidised health services and education.

He praised Francistown for playing a part in facilitating tax collection from imported goods.

Mr Radisigo said the city’s infrastructure such as Kenneth Nkhwa Interchange and Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, as well as 70 per cent of the country’s budget were financed through revenue collected by BURS in the form of taxes.

"We are very fortunate to be the first city to hold this event as the gateway to the north where most tax comes from," he said.ENDS