Revenue services offices operate despite strike action

By Ofentse Mokae
08 September 2009

The South African Revenue Service has guaranteed its clients that operations at its offices across country will run regardless of the current industrial action.

Operations continued at a reduced level on Monday with the biggest impact experienced between 10am and 12pm.

“Branch offices in Bellville and Cape Town, were the most affected in the morning by an attendance rate of about 20 percent,” said SARS in a statement.

However, many of the protesting staff members returned to their offices after issuing management with memorandums.

The Durban branch office was closed temporarily for a short period during protest actions but later resumed operations.

While offices operated within the contingency plans, the reduced numbers of staff resulted in longer queues.

“For those taxpayers who were not able to remain in queues for prolonged periods a ticketing system was introduced,” said SARS.

The court application which SARS brought on Friday, seeking an urgent interdict to prevent the strike action, was dismissed on Monday on the basis that the application lacked urgency.

SARS said that the strike’s impact on customs services was minimal, with the exception of Durban harbour and the Lebombo border post.