“It Feels Illegal”: SA Busts as Teacher Comically Shows SARS Relieves Her Work Stress

• A young teacher took a humorous approach when she shared how the South African Revenue Service helps with work stress
• While at her desk, she looked at a framed picture of the nation's tax-collecting authority's logo
• Many members of the online community laughed at the video and shared how they could relate to her struggles

For most teachers, they have a lot on their plate when it comes to their occupation. One Mzansi teacher tried finding humour in her troubles when she shared how she deals with it.

SARS the superhero

Kriska Erwee uploaded a comical video on her TikTok account of herself sitting at her desk in her classroom. The post read:

"Whenever I am stressed at work, I remember who I am doing it for."

The clip cut to a framed picture of the SARS logo, which she picked up and looked at to give herself motivation.

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Watch the TikTok video below:

How SARS collects tax

As per SARS' website, the nation's tax-collecting authority explains it administers many tax Acts, where taxes, duties and levies are collected and paid into the National Revenue Fund. Money collected on behalf of other departments under their legislation is also paid into the Fund.

Below is a list of some of the tax Acts:

1. Income Tax (the government's main source of income)
2. Capital Gains Tax (CGT: forms part of the income tax system)
3. Value-added Tax (VAT: levies on goods and services rendered)
4. Customs Duty (levies on imported goods)
5. Excise Duty (levies on particular locally manufactured goods and their imported equivalents)
6. Environmental levy (levies on particular locally manufactured goods and their imported equivalents relating to the environment)
7. Fuel and Road accident levy (levies on fuel products manufactured or imported into South Africa)
8. Trade remedies (levies on particular imported goods to protect certain local industries)
9. International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (levies for people who received contributing oil in ports or terminal installations during a tax period)
10. Transfer Duty (payable when properties are acquired at progressive marginal rates)
11. Estate Duty (deductions on properties of the deceased)
12. Skills Development Levy (SDL: collected on behalf of the Department of Higher Education and Training to fund education and training)
13. Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF: short-term relief for unemployed workers and dependants of deceased contributors)
14. Donations Tax
15. Pay-As-You-Earn
16. Dividends Tax (tax on shareholders when receiving dividends)

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Humoured app users feel teacher's pain

The viral video had thousands of members of the online community heading to the comment section with their thoughts and experiences of how SARS impacted their lives.

@bossm0ssel humorously stated:

"I'm seeing this after I recently got my bonus. Not even a thank you note from SARS. Sies, man!"

@aluwieyafortunehu added in the comments:

"It's really funny but also not funny, hey. I'm only laughing as a coping mechanism."

@meagan.not.so.good shared with the public:

"I had to pay a R40 000 penalty. As a single mom with a son in university, that money could've been put to actual good use."

Reflecting on the money SARS deducts, a saddened @nevillenerichards wrote:

"It feels illegal. How can they take so much?"

@shazjules laughed and stated:

"The way I expected to see a cute little one."

@sunlanga1 jokingly told Kriska:

"You just reminded me that I have an outstanding protection fee."

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3 Other stories about Mzansi teachers

• In another article, Briefly News reported about a Grade 1 Gauteng teacher who shared why she quit her job. Many educators felt they could relate to her reasons.
• South Africans praised a teacher's bond with her learners after she had a dance-off with them, taking centre stage in their rhythmic display.
• A young teacher positively impacted her female students' lives when she gave them modelling lessons at school. Some internet users felt they wanted to join the lesson.

Source: Briefly News